Systems and methods for redistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft

ABSTRACT

A system for redistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft. The system includes a ring bus and a controller communicatively connected to the ring bus. The ring bus includes a plurality of bus sections including a first bus section and a second bus section. The controller is configured to receive a fault datum indicative of a fault associated with one of a first energy source and a second energy source, actuate, as a function of the fault datum, at least a switch to electrically connect the first bus section and the second bus section so as to form an electrical merger of the first bus section and the second bus section, and redistribute the electrical load to compensate for the fault associated with one of the first energy source and the second energy source. A method of redistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft is also provided.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to the field of electrical loadsin electric aircraft. In particular, the present invention is directedto systems and methods for redistributing electrical load in an electricaircraft.

BACKGROUND

It is important to manage electrical power distribution in an electricvehicle. The magnitude of this importance increases when electricalpower has to be redistributed due to a system fault. Effective andtimely redistribution of electrical power can be a difficult task andcan pose challenges.

SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

In an aspect a system for redistributing electrical load in an electricaircraft is provided. The system includes a ring bus and a controllercommunicatively connected to the ring bus. The ring bus includes aplurality of bus sections. The plurality of bus sections includes afirst bus section and a second bus section. The first bus section iselectrically connected to a first energy source. The second bus sectionis electrically connected to a second energy source. The second bussection is selectively electrically connected to the first bus section.The first energy source and the second energy source are configured toprovide electrical energy to an electrical load of an electric aircraft.The controller is configured to receive a fault datum indicative of afault associated with one of the first energy source and the secondenergy source, actuate, as a function of the fault datum, at least aswitch to electrically connect the first bus section and the second bussection so as to form an electrical merger of the first bus section andthe second bus section, and redistribute the electrical load tocompensate for the fault associated with one of the first energy sourceand the second energy source.

In another aspect a method for redistributing electrical load in anelectric aircraft is provided. The method includes providing acontroller communicatively connected to a ring bus. The ring busincludes a plurality of bus sections. The plurality of bus sectionsincludes a first bus section and a second bus section. The first bussection is electrically connected to a first energy source. The secondbus section is electrically connected to a second energy source. Thesecond bus section is selectively electrically connected to the firstbus section. The first energy source and the second energy source areconfigured to provide electrical energy to an electrical load of anelectric aircraft. The method includes receiving, by the controller, afault datum indicative of a fault associated with one of the firstenergy source and the second energy source, actuating, by thecontroller, as a function of the fault datum, at least a switch toelectrically connect the first bus section and the second bus section soas to form an electrical merger of the first bus section and the secondbus section, and redistributing, by the controller, the electrical loadto compensate for the fault associated with one of the first energysource and the second energy source.

These and other aspects and features of non-limiting embodiments of thepresent invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art uponreview of the following description of specific non-limiting embodimentsof the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show aspectsof one or more embodiments of the invention. However, it should beunderstood that the present invention is not limited to the precisearrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1A is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system forredistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft;

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of another exemplary embodiment of asystem for redistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft;

FIG. 1C is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of an energysource isolation system;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of an exemplary embodiment of anelectric aircraft;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a flightcontroller;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of amachine-learning module;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a method formonitoring sensor reliability of an electric aircraft; and

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a computing system that can be used toimplement any one or more of the methodologies disclosed herein and anyone or more portions thereof.

The drawings are not necessarily to scale and may be illustrated byphantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. Incertain instances, details that are not necessary for an understandingof the embodiments or that render other details difficult to perceivemay have been omitted.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, for the purposes of explanation, numerousspecific details are set forth in order to provide a thoroughunderstanding of the present invention. It will be apparent, however,that the present invention may be practiced without these specificdetails. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means“serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementationdescribed herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily tobe construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations.All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementationsprovided to enable persons skilled in the art to make or use theembodiments of the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope ofthe disclosure, which is defined by the claims. For purposes ofdescription herein, the terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “rear,” “right,”“front,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “upward,” “downward,” “forward,”“backward” and derivatives thereof shall relate to the orientation inFIG. 2 . Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressedor implied theory presented in the preceding technical field,background, brief summary or the following detailed description. It isalso to be understood that the specific devices and processesillustrated in the attached drawings, and described in the followingspecification, are simply exemplary embodiments of the inventiveconcepts defined in the appended claims. Hence, specific dimensions andother physical characteristics relating to the embodiments disclosedherein are not to be considered as limiting, unless the claims expresslystate otherwise.

At a high level, aspects of the present disclosure are directed tosystems and methods for redistributing electrical load in an electricaircraft. In an embodiment, a ring bus configuration communicativelyconnected to a controller is used to redistribute electrical load.Aspects of the present disclosure can be used to selectivelyredistribute load from selected energy sources in the event of a faultassociated with said energy source and/or an associated component.Aspects of the present disclosure can also be used to selectivelyredistribute load from selected energy sources in the event of the need,or desire, to provide additional electrical power to a particularaircraft component. This is so, at least in part, because a unique ringbus configuration allows for selective electrical merger of two or morebus sections of ring bus. Aspects of the present disclosureadvantageously allow for enhanced versatility in redistributingelectrical load between different components of an electric aircraft,and desirably permit adaptability with minimal or reduced effect onaircraft performance. Exemplary embodiments illustrating aspects of thepresent disclosure are described below in the context of severalspecific examples.

Referring now to FIG. 1A, an exemplary embodiment of a system 100 forredistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft is illustrated.System 100 includes at least a controller (or computing device) 104.Controller (or computing device) 104 may include any computing device asdescribed in this disclosure, including without limitation amicrocontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP) and/orsystem on a chip (SoC) as described in this disclosure. Computing devicemay include, be included in, and/or communicate with a mobile devicesuch as a mobile telephone or smartphone. Computing device may include asingle computing device operating independently, or may include two ormore computing device operating in concert, in parallel, sequentially orthe like; two or more computing devices may be included together in asingle computing device or in two or more computing devices. Computingdevice may interface or communicate with one or more additional devicesas described below in further detail via a network interface device.Network interface device may be utilized for connecting computing device104 to one or more of a variety of networks, and one or more devices.Examples of a network interface device include, but are not limited to,a network interface card (e.g., a mobile network interface card, a LANcard), a modem, and any combination thereof. Examples of a networkinclude, but are not limited to, a wide area network (e.g., theInternet, an enterprise network), a local area network (e.g., a networkassociated with an office, a building, a campus or other relativelysmall geographic space), a telephone network, a data network associatedwith a telephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications providerdata and/or voice network), a direct connection between two computingdevices, and any combinations thereof. A network may employ a wiredand/or a wireless mode of communication. In general, any networktopology may be used. Information (e.g., data, software etc.) may becommunicated to and/or from a computer and/or a computing device.Computing device 104 may include but is not limited to, for example, acomputing device or cluster of computing devices in a first location anda second computing device or cluster of computing devices in a secondlocation. Computing device may include one or more computing devicesdedicated to data storage, security, distribution of traffic for loadbalancing, and the like. Computing device may distribute one or morecomputing tasks as described below across a plurality of computingdevices of computing device, which may operate in parallel, in series,redundantly, or in any other manner used for distribution of tasks ormemory between computing devices. Computing device may be implementedusing a “shared nothing” architecture in which data is cached at theworker, in an embodiment, this may enable scalability of system 100and/or computing device.

With continued reference to FIG. 1A, controller (or computing device)104 may be designed and/or configured to perform any method, methodstep, or sequence of method steps in any embodiment described in thisdisclosure, in any order and with any degree of repetition. Forinstance, controller (or computing device) 104 may be configured toperform a single step or sequence repeatedly until a desired orcommanded outcome is achieved; repetition of a step or a sequence ofsteps may be performed iteratively and/or recursively using outputs ofprevious repetitions as inputs to subsequent repetitions, aggregatinginputs and/or outputs of repetitions to produce an aggregate result,reduction or decrement of one or more variables such as globalvariables, and/or division of a larger processing task into a set ofiteratively addressed smaller processing tasks. Computing device mayperform any step or sequence of steps as described in this disclosure inparallel, such as simultaneously and/or substantially simultaneouslyperforming a step two or more times using two or more parallel threads,processor cores, or the like; division of tasks between parallel threadsand/or processes may be performed according to any protocol suitable fordivision of tasks between iterations. Persons skilled in the art, uponreviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various waysin which steps, sequences of steps, processing tasks, and/or data may besubdivided, shared, or otherwise dealt with using iteration, recursion,and/or parallel processing.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, system 100 forredistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft includescontroller (or computing device) 104 and a ring bus 140. Ring bus 140includes a plurality of bus sections 144. Plurality of bus sections 144includes a first bus section 144 a 1 and a second bus section 144 a 2.First bus section 144 a 1 is electrically connected to a first energysource 148 a 1. Second bus section 144 a 2 is electrically connected toa second energy source 148 a 2. Second bus section 144 a 2 isselectively electrically connected to first bus section 144 a 1. Stateddifferently, first bus section 144 a 1 and second bus section 144 a 2are selectively electrically connected or connectable to one another.First energy source 148 a 1 and second energy source 148 a 2 areconfigured to provide electrical energy to an electrical load of anelectric aircraft 132. Controller (or computing device) 104 iscommunicatively connected to ring bus 140. Controller 104 is configuredto receive a fault datum 136 indicative of a fault associated with oneof first energy source 152 a 1 and second energy source 152 a 2.Controller 104 is configured to actuate, as a function of fault datum136, at least a switch 156 (first switch 156′, second switch 156″) toelectrically connect first bus section 144 a 1 and second bus section144 a 2 so as to form an electrical merger of first bus section 144 a 1and second bus section 144 a 2. Controller 104 is configured toredistribute electrical load to compensate for fault associated with oneof first energy source 148 a 1 and second energy source 148 a 2.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, electric aircraft 132 may include any of theelectric aircrafts as disclosed in the present disclosure includingthose described with reference to FIG. 2 . Electric aircraft 132 mayinclude a flight controller 124 communicatively connected to variousaircraft components. Electric aircraft 132 may include a flightcomponent 108 (or a plurality of flight components 108) and a flightcontroller 124. Flight component(s) 108 may include at least a liftcomponent 112 (or a plurality of lift components 112) and at least apusher component 116 (or a plurality of pusher components 116). Flightcomponent(s) 108 may further include at least an electric motor 120 (ora plurality of electric motors 120) which may be used to drive one ormore lift components 112 and/or pusher components 116.

With continued reference to FIG. 1A, Flight component(s) 108 may includeat least an energy source 148 (or a plurality of energy sources 148including first energy source 18 a 1 and second energy source 148 a 2)which may be used to provide electrical energy to one or more electricmotors 120. Each energy source(s) 148 (148 a 1, 148 a 2) may include atleast a battery 152 (152 a 1, 152 a 2) or a plurality of batteries 152.Energy source(s) 148 (148 a 1, 148 a 2) may include one or more batterypacks, battery modules, battery units, battery cells, and the like.Certain aspects of flight components, flight controller and othercomponents of electric aircraft are described in further detail laterherein.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, in an embodiment, controller 104 may includea flight controller (e.g. flight controller 124) communicativelyconnected to electric aircraft 132. Controller 104 may becommunicatively connected to any of the components of electric aircraft132. In an embodiment, controller 104 may be communicatively and/orelectrically connected to ring bus 140 (and any of its elements) ofsystem 100. Controller 104 may be communicatively and/or electricallyconnected to plurality of bus sections of ring bus 140 such as first bussection 144 a 1 and second bus section 144 a 2. Controller 104 may becommunicatively and/or electrically connected to one or more switches ofor associated with ring bus 140 such as first switch 156′ and secondswitch 156″. Controller 104 may be communicatively and/or electricallyconnected any flight component 108 such as lift component(s) 112, pushercomponent(s) 116, electric motor(s) 120, energy source(s) 148,battery(ies) 152 including first energy source 148 a 1, second energysource 148 a 2, first battery 152 a 1 and second battery 152 a 2.Controller 104 may be communicatively and/or electrically connected toone or more sensors 128 of or associated with electric aircraft 132. Inan embodiment, controller 104 may be further configured to actuate atleast a switch 156 (156′ or 156″) by transmitting an electrical signalto the at least a switch.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, as used in this disclosure, “communicativelyconnected” means connected by way of a connection, attachment or linkagebetween two or more related which allows for reception and/ortransmittance of information therebetween. For example, and withoutlimitation, this connection may be wired or wireless, direct orindirect, and between two or more components, circuits, devices,systems, and the like, which allows for reception and/or transmittanceof data and/or signal(s) therebetween. Data and/or signals therebetweenmay include, without limitation, electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic,video, audio, radio and microwave data and/or signals, combinationsthereof, and the like, among others. A communicative connection may beachieved, for example and without limitation, through wired or wirelesselectronic, digital or analog, communication, either directly or by wayof one or more intervening devices or components. Further, communicativeconnection may include electrically coupling or connecting at least anoutput of one device, component, or circuit to at least an input ofanother device, component, or circuit. For example, and withoutlimitation, via a bus or other facility for intercommunication betweenelements of a computing device. Communicative connecting may alsoinclude indirect connections via, for example and without limitation,wireless connection, radio communication, low power wide area network,optical communication, magnetic, capacitive, or optical coupling, andthe like. In some instances, the terminology “communicatively coupled”may be used in place of communicatively connected in this disclosure.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, controller (or computing device) 104 mayinclude any suitable computing device and/or combination of computingdevices communicatively connected to electric aircraft and/or itscomponents. In some embodiments, controller 104 may be remote or spacedfrom electric aircraft 132. Alternatively, or additionally, controller104, and/or selected portions of it, may be on or onboard electricaircraft 132. In an embodiment, controller 104 may include, or be a partof, flight controller 124 of electric aircraft 132, as needed ordesired.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1A, in an embodiment, each of first energysource 148 a 1 and second energy source 148 a 2 may include at least onebattery pack. In an embodiment, each of first energy source 148 a 1 andsecond energy source 148 a 2 may include at least one battery.

With continued reference to FIG. 1A, as used in this disclosure, an“energy source” is a source (or supplier) of energy (or power) to powerone or more components. Energy source 148 may include one or morebattery(ies) 152 and/or battery packs. As used in this disclosure, a“battery pack” is a set of any number of identical (or non-identical)batteries or individual battery cells. These may be configured in aseries, parallel or a mixture of both configuration to deliver a desiredelectrical flow, current, voltage, capacity, or power density, as neededor desired. A battery may include, without limitation, one or morecells, in which chemical energy is converted into electricity (orelectrical energy) and used as a source of energy or power. For example,and without limitation, energy source may be configured provide energyto an aircraft power source that in turn that drives and/or controls anyother aircraft component such as other flight components. An energysource may include, for example, an electrical energy source agenerator, a photovoltaic device, a fuel cell such as a hydrogen fuelcell, direct methanol fuel cell, and/or solid oxide fuel cell, anelectric energy storage device (e.g., a capacitor, an inductor, and/or abattery). An electrical energy source may also include a battery cell, abattery pack, or a plurality of battery cells connected in series into amodule and each module connected in series or in parallel with othermodules. Configuration of an energy source containing connected modulesmay be designed to meet an energy or power requirement and may bedesigned to fit within a designated footprint in an electric aircraft.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 1A, an energy source maybe used to provide a steady supply of electrical flow or power to a loadover the course of a flight by a vehicle or other electric aircraft. Forexample, an energy source may be capable of providing sufficient powerfor “cruising” and other relatively low-energy phases of flight. Anenergy source may also be capable of providing electrical power for somehigher-power phases of flight as well, particularly when the energysource is at a high state of charge (SOC), as may be the case forinstance during takeoff. In an embodiment, an energy source may becapable of providing sufficient electrical power for auxiliary loadsincluding without limitation, lighting, navigation, communications,de-icing, steering or other systems requiring power or energy. Further,an energy source may be capable of providing sufficient power forcontrolled descent and landing protocols, including, without limitation,hovering descent or runway landing. As used herein an energy source mayhave high power density where electrical power an energy source canusefully produce per unit of volume and/or mass is relatively high.“Electrical power,” as used in this disclosure, is defined as a rate ofelectrical energy per unit time. An energy source may include a devicefor which power that may be produced per unit of volume and/or mass hasbeen optimized, at the expense of the maximal total specific energydensity or power capacity, during design. Non-limiting examples of itemsthat may be used as at least an energy source may include batteries usedfor starting applications including Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries whichmay include NCA, NMC, Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) and LithiumManganese Oxide (LMO) batteries, which may be mixed with another cathodechemistry to provide more specific power if the application requires Limetal batteries, which have a lithium metal anode that provides highpower on demand, Li ion batteries that have a silicon or titanite anode,energy source may be used, in an embodiment, to provide electrical powerto an electric aircraft or drone, such as an electric aircraft vehicle,during moments requiring high rates of power output, including withoutlimitation takeoff, landing, thermal de-icing and situations requiringgreater power output for reasons of stability, such as high turbulencesituations, as described in further detail below. A battery may include,without limitation a battery using nickel based chemistries such asnickel cadmium or nickel metal hydride, a battery using lithium ionbattery chemistries such as a nickel cobalt aluminum (NCA), nickelmanganese cobalt (NMC), lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4), lithium cobaltoxide (LCO), and/or lithium manganese oxide (LMO), a battery usinglithium polymer technology, lead-based batteries such as withoutlimitation lead acid batteries, metal-air batteries, or any othersuitable battery. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing theentirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various devices ofcomponents that may be used as an energy source.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, an energy source may include a plurality ofenergy sources, referred to herein as a module of energy sources. Amodule may include batteries connected in parallel or in series or aplurality of modules connected either in series or in parallel designedto deliver both the power and energy requirements of the application.Connecting batteries in series may increase the voltage of at least anenergy source which may provide more power on demand. High voltagebatteries may require cell matching when high peak load is needed. Asmore cells are connected in strings, there may exist the possibility ofone cell failing which may increase resistance in the module and reducean overall power output as a voltage of the module may decrease as aresult of that failing cell. Connecting batteries in parallel mayincrease total current capacity by decreasing total resistance, and italso may increase overall amp-hour capacity. Overall energy and poweroutputs of at least an energy source may be based on individual batterycell performance or an extrapolation based on measurement of at least anelectrical parameter. In an embodiment where an energy source includes aplurality of battery cells, overall power output capacity may bedependent on electrical parameters of each individual cell. If one cellexperiences high self-discharge during demand, power drawn from at leastan energy source may be decreased to avoid damage to the weakest cell.An energy source may further include, without limitation, wiring,conduit, housing, cooling system and battery management system. Personsskilled in the art will be aware, after reviewing the entirety of thisdisclosure, of many different components of an energy source.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1A, energy sources, battery packs,batteries, sensors, battery sensors, sensor suites and/or associatedmethods which may efficaciously be utilized in accordance with someembodiments are disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/111,002, filed on Dec. 3, 2020, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ABATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM INTEGRATED IN A BATTERY PACK CONFIGURED FORUSE IN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT,” U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/108,798, filed on Dec. 1, 2020, and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORA BATTERY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM INTEGRATED IN A BATTERY PACK CONFIGURED FORUSE IN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT,” U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/320,329, filed on May 14, 2021, and entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORMONITORING HEALTH OF AN ELECTRIC VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDING VEHICLE,”the entirety of each one of which is incorporated herein by reference.

With continued reference to FIG. 1A, other energy sources, batterypacks, batteries, sensors, battery sensors, sensor suites and/orassociated methods which may efficaciously be utilized in accordancewith some embodiments are disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional applicationSer. No. 16/590,496, filed on Oct. 2, 2019, and entitled “SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS FOR RESTRICTING POWER TO A LOAD TO PREVENT ENGAGING CIRCUITPROTECTION DEVICE FOR AN AIRCRAFT,” U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser.No. 17/348,137, filed on Jun. 15, 2021, and entitled “SYSTEMS ANDMETHODS FOR RESTRICTING POWER TO A LOAD TO PREVENT ENGAGING CIRCUITPROTECTION DEVICE FOR AN AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisional applicationSer. No. 17/008,721, filed on Sep. 1, 2020, and entitled “SYSTEM ANDMETHOD FOR SECURING BATTERY IN AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 16/948,157, filed on Sep. 4, 2020, and entitled“SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH ENERGY DENSITY BATTERY MODULE,”, U.S.Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 16/948,140, filed on Sep. 4, 2020,and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR HIGH ENERGY DENSITY BATTERYMODULE,”, and U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 16/948,141, filedon Sep. 4, 2020, and entitled “COOLING ASSEMBLY FOR USE IN A BATTERYMODULE ASSEMBLY,”, the entirety of each one of which is incorporatedherein by reference. Still other energy sources, battery packs,batteries, sensors, sensor suites, charging connectors and/or associatedmethods which may efficaciously be utilized in accordance with someembodiments are disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/405,840, filed on Aug. 18, 2021, entitled “CONNECTOR AND METHODS OFUSE FOR CHARGING AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE,”.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, certain battery, battery module and batterypack management systems, devices, components and associated methodsincluding or using a pack monitoring unit (PMU) and a module monitorunit (MMU) which may efficaciously be utilized in accordance with someembodiments are disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.17/529,653, filed on Nov. 18, 2021, and entitled “AN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFTBATTERY PACK AND METHODS OF USE,”, U.S. Nonprovisional Application Ser.No. 17/529,447, filed on Nov. 18, 2021, and entitled “MODULE MONITORUNIT FOR AN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT BATTERY PACK AND METHODS OF USE,”, andU.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/529,583, filed on Nov. 18,2021, and entitled “PACK MONITORING UNIT FOR AN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFTBATTERY PACK AND METHODS OF USE FOR BATTERY MANAGEMENT,”, the entiretyof each one of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, as used in this disclosure a “power source”is a source that powers, drives and/or controls any flight componentand/or other aircraft component. For example, and without limitationpower source may include motor(s) or electric motor(s) 120 that operatesto move one or more lift components 112 and/or one or more pushercomponents 116, to drive one or more blades, or the like thereof.Motor(s) 120 may be driven by direct current (DC) electric power and mayinclude, without limitation, brushless DC electric motors, switchedreluctance motors, induction motors, or any combination thereof.Motor(s) 120 may also include electronic speed controllers or othercomponents for regulating motor speed, rotation direction, and/ordynamic braking. A “motor” as used in this disclosure is any machinethat converts non-mechanical energy into mechanical energy. An “electricmotor” as used in this disclosure is any machine that convertselectrical energy into mechanical energy. Certain flight component(s)108, lift component(s) 112 and pusher component(s) 116 are alsodescribed further with reference to FIG. 2 .

Still referring to FIG. 1A, in an embodiment, at least a switch 156(156′, 156″) includes a cross-tie switch or X-tie switch. As used inthis disclosure, a “cross-tie switch” is an electrical transfer switchthat switches a load between two sources. A cross-tie switch may be usedas a breaker that can be closed to connect two separate systemstogether. Alternatively, or in addition, other types of switches,electro-mechanical devices or similar devices such as magnetic switches,limit switches, level switches, pressure switches, membrane switches,selector switches, rotary switches, slide switches, toggle switches,contact switches, multi-contact switches, combinations thereof, and thelike, among others, may be efficaciously used, as needed or desired.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, in an embodiment, electrical load to besatisfied by at least one energy source 148 (148 a, 148 b) may be afunction of an electrical power input of at least a flight component(e.g. flight component 108) of electric aircraft 132. As used in thisdisclosure, an “electrical load” is an electrical component or portionof a circuit that consumes electric or electrical power. The term mayalso refer to the power consumed by a circuit. This is opposed to anenergy or power source, such as a battery or generator, which producespower. For example, and without limitation, electric or electrical powermay be consumed, directly or indirectly, by one or more electric motors120, lift components 112 and/or pusher components 116.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, in an embodiment, system 100 may furtherinclude one or more sensors 128. Sensor(s) 128 may be configured todetect fault datum 136. Sensor(s) 128 may be configured to transmit,directly or indirectly, fault datum 136 to controller (or computingdevice) 104. Senor(s) 128 may be communicatively connected to controller104. In an embodiment sensor 128 may include a battery sensor. In anembodiment, sensor(s) 128 may be included in or be a part of controller104 and/or flight controller 124. Sensor(s) 128 may include any of thesensors as disclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure.

With continued reference to FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, sensor 128 maybe mechanically connected to electric aircraft 132. As used herein, aperson of ordinary skill in the art would understand “mechanicallyconnected” to mean that at least a portion of a device, component, orcircuit is connected to at least a portion of the aircraft via amechanical connection. Said mechanical connection may be established,for example and without limitation, by mechanical fasteners such asbolts, rivets, screws, nails, bolt-nut combinations, pegs, dowels, pins,rods, locks, latches, clamps, combinations thereof, and the like, amongothers. Said mechanical connection may include, for example and withoutlimitation, rigid coupling, such as beam coupling, bellows coupling,bushed pin coupling, constant velocity, split-muff coupling, diaphragmcoupling, disc coupling, donut coupling, elastic coupling, flexiblecoupling, fluid coupling, gear coupling, grid coupling, hirth joints,hydrodynamic coupling, jaw coupling, magnetic coupling, Oldham coupling,sleeve coupling, tapered shaft lock, twin spring coupling, rag jointcoupling, adhesive coupling, universal joints, or any combinationthereof. In an embodiment, mechanical connection may be used to connectthe ends of adjacent parts and/or objects of an electric aircraft.Further, in an embodiment, mechanical connection may be used to join twopieces of rotating electric aircraft components. In some instances, theterminology “mechanically coupled” may be used in place of mechanicallyconnected in this disclosure.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, sensor 128(s) may include any of the sensorsas disclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure including thosedescribed with reference to at least FIG. 2 . As used in thisdisclosure, a “sensor” is a device that is configured to detect aphenomenon and transmit information related to the detection of thephenomenon. For example, in some cases a sensor may transduce a detectedphenomenon, such as without limitation, voltage, current, resistance,capacitance, impedance, distance, speed, velocity, angular velocity,rotational velocity, acceleration, direction, force, torque,temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, density, and the like,into a sensed signal. Sensor may include one or more sensors which maybe the same, similar or different. Sensor may include a plurality ofsensors which may be the same, similar or different. Sensor may includeone or more sensor suites with sensors in each sensor suite being thesame, similar or different.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, sensor 128 may include any sensor or noisemonitoring circuit described in this disclosure. Sensor 128, in someembodiments, may be communicatively connected or coupled to flightcontroller 124. Sensor may be a device, module, and/or subsystem,utilizing any hardware, software, and/or any combination thereof tosense a characteristic and/or changes thereof, in an instantenvironment, for example and without limitation, which the sensor may beproximal to or otherwise in a sensed communication with, and transmitinformation associated with the characteristic, for instance withoutlimitation digitized data. Sensor 128 may be mechanically and/orcommunicatively coupled to aircraft 132. Sensor 128 may be configured tosense a characteristic associated with, for example and withoutlimitation, a battery and/or a pilot control of aircraft. Anenvironmental sensor may include without limitation one or more sensorsused to detect ambient temperature, barometric pressure, and/or airvelocity. Sensor 128 may include without limitation gyroscopes,accelerometers, inertial measurement unit (IMU), and/or magneticsensors, one or more humidity sensors, one or more oxygen sensors, orthe like. Additionally or alternatively, sensor 128 may include at leasta geospatial sensor. Sensor 128 may be located inside aircraft, and/orbe included in and/or attached to at least a portion of aircraft. Sensormay include one or more proximity sensors, displacement sensors,vibration sensors, and the like thereof. Sensor may be used to monitorthe status of aircraft 132 for both critical and non-critical functions.Sensor may be incorporated into vehicle or aircraft or, in some cases,be remote.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1A, non-limiting examples of sensor 128 mayinclude an inertial measurement unit (IMU), an accelerometer, agyroscope, a proximity sensor, a pressure sensor, a light sensor, apitot tube, an air speed sensor, a wind sensor, a position sensor, aspeed sensor, a switch, a thermometer, a strain gauge, an acousticsensor, an electrical sensor, a current sensor, a voltage sensor, acapacitance sensor, a resistance sensor, an impedance sensor, a thermalsensor, a humidity sensor, an angle sensor, a velocity sensor, anacceleration sensor, an optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, anelectromagnetic sensor, and the like, among others. In some cases,sensor 128 may sense a characteristic as an analog measurement, forinstance, yielding a continuously variable electrical potentialindicative of the sensed characteristic. In these cases, sensor 128 mayadditionally comprise an analog to digital converter (ADC) as well asany additionally circuitry, such as without limitation a Wheatstonebridge, an amplifier, a filter, and the like. For instance, in somecases, sensor 128 may comprise a strain gage configured to determineloading of one or more aircraft components, for example and withoutlimitation, landing gear. Strain gage may be included within a circuitcomprising a Wheatstone bridge, an amplified, and a bandpass filter toprovide an analog strain measurement signal having a high signal tonoise ratio, which characterizes strain on a landing gear member. An ADCmay then digitize analog signal produces a digital signal that can thenbe transmitted other systems within aircraft 132, for instance withoutlimitation a computing system, a pilot display, and a memory component.Alternatively or additionally, sensor 128 may sense a characteristic ofa pilot control digitally. For instance in some embodiments, sensor 128may sense a characteristic through a digital means or digitize a sensedsignal natively. In some cases, for example, sensor 128 may include arotational encoder and be configured to sense a rotational position of apilot control or the like; in this case, the rotational encoderdigitally may sense rotational “clicks” by any known method, such aswithout limitation magnetically, optically, and the like. Sensor 228 mayinclude any of the sensors as disclosed in the present disclosure.Sensor 128 may include a plurality of sensors. Any of these sensors maybe located at any suitable position in or on aircraft 132.

With continued reference to FIG. 1A, sensor 128 may include any deviceconfigured to measure and/or detect information related to electricaircraft 132. In a non-limiting embodiment, first sensor may includeairspeed sensors, GPS sensors, altimeters, pitot tubes, pitot-statictubes, sensors and/or systems, external air density sensors (e.g. tofacilitate in the calculation of stall speed and/or wind speed),pressure sensors, toque sensors, angle sensors (e.g., angle of attack,flight path angle), wind speed sensors, and the like, among others.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, fault datum 136 may be transmitted tocontroller 104 by sensor(s) 128, flight component(s) 108, ring bus 140,switches 156 and/or any of the bus sections 144 of ring bus 140including first bus section 144 a 1 and/or second bus section 144 a 2.Fault datum 136, in some embodiments, may indicate as fault, malfunctionand/or degradation associated with any of the aircraft componentsincluding energy source(s) 148 and/or battery(ies) 152. Fault datum 136may be indicative of an electrical or other issue involved in theoperation of aircraft 132.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, as used in this disclosure, a “fault datum”is information on a fault associated with an electric aircraft'soperation. For example, and without limitation, fault may be amalfunction, disruption, irregularity and/or degradation associated withone or more components of electric aircraft. In an embodiment, faultdatum 136 is indicative of a fault associated with energy source 148 ofelectric aircraft such as first energy source 148 a 1 and/or 148 a 2including their respective batteries 152 a 1 and/or 152 a 2. Fault datum136 may be in the form of an electrical signal. Fault datum 136 mayinclude an analog signal or a digital signal. Fault datum 136 mayinclude information on the health or performance of energy source(s)148. Fault datum 136 may include information on a ground fault, a shortcircuit or other malfunctions (e.g. electrical) associated with energysource(s) 148 and/or ring bus 140 including bus sections 144 such asfirst bus section 144 a 1 and second bus section 144 a 2, flightcomponent(s) 108 such as electric motor(s) 120, lift component(s) 112and/or pusher component(s) 116. Fault datum 136 may include informationon a state of charge (SOC) of battery(ies) 152, temperature ofbattery(ies) 152, output voltage and/or current of battery(ies) 152,discharge of battery(ies) 152, ambient conditions of battery(ies) 152,and the like, among others.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, fault datum 136 maybe communicated from one or more sensor(s) 128, including sensorsconfigured to detect characteristics of battery 152 and/or energy source148. This fault datum may then be provided to one or more controllers(or computing devices) such as controller 104 and/or flight controller124.

With continued reference to FIG. 1A, in some cases, fault datum 136 maybe communicated from one or more sensors, for example sensor(s) 128located within electric vehicle or aircraft 136. For example, in somecases, fault datum 136 may be associated with a battery within anelectric vehicle or aircraft 136. For example, fault datum 136 mayinclude a battery sensor signal from a battery sensor. As used in thisdisclosure, a “battery sensor” is a sensor used to measure acharacteristic associated with a battery and a “battery sensor signal”is a signal representative of a characteristic of a battery. In someversions, controller 104 may additionally include a sensor interfaceconfigured to receive a sensor signal. Sensor interface may include oneor more ports, an analog to digital converter, and the like. In somecases, a sensor, a circuit, and/or a controller computing device mayperform one or more signal processing steps on a signal. For instance,sensor, circuit or computing device may analyze, modify, and/orsynthesize a signal in order to improve the signal, for instance byimproving transmission, storage efficiency, or signal to noise ratio.Battery sensor may include any suitable sensor as described in theentirety of the present disclosure, for example and without limitation,a temperature sensor, a voltage sensor, a current sensor, a resistancesensor, a Hall effect sensor, a Wheatstone bridge sensor, a capacitancesensor, an impedance sensor, a multimeter, a state of charge (SOC)sensor, a Daly detector, an electroscope, an electron multiplier, aFaraday cup, a galvanometers, a Hall probe, a magnetic sensor, anoptical sensor, a magnetometer, a magnetoresistance sensor, a MEMSmagnetic field sensor, a metal detector, a planar Hall sensor, a thermalsensor, and the like, among others.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, as used in this disclosure, “communication”or “connection” is an attribute wherein two or more relata interact withone another, for example within a specific domain or in a certainmanner. In some cases communication or connection between two or morerelata may be of a specific domain, such as without limitation electriccommunication or connection, fluidic communication or connection,informatic communication or connection, mechanic communication orconnection, and the like. As used in this disclosure, “electric(al)communication” or “electric(al) connection” is an attribute wherein twoor more relata interact with one another by way of an electric currentor electricity in general. As used in this disclosure, “fluidiccommunication” or “fluidic connection” is an attribute wherein two ormore relata interact with one another by way of a fluidic flow or fluidin general. As used in this disclosure, “informatic communication” or“informatic connection” is an attribute wherein two or more relatainteract with one another by way of an information flow or informationin general. As used in this disclosure, “mechanic(al) communication” or“mechanic(al) connection” is an attribute wherein two or more relatainteract with one another by way of mechanical means, for instancemechanic effort (e.g., force) and flow (e.g., velocity). An “electricalmerger” means that two or more components has electrically merged suchthat they are now in electrical communication or have formed anelectrical connection.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, as used in this disclosure, “actuate” is tocause a machine or device to operate or perform an operational step. Forexample, and without limitation, actuation of a switch can mean that theswitch has been turned on or off, or opened or closed, or the like. Ingeneral, actuate refers to activating or operating a machine, device, orthe like.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, as used in this disclosure, a “ring bus” isa closed loop or ring circuit in which each bus section is separated bya switch or circuit breaker. Typically, the switches are closed (or off)so as to electrically isolate each bus section until it is desired orneeded to electrically merge any selected bus sections. For example,ring bus 140 includes first bus section 144 a 1 and second bus section144 a 2 which are typically electrically isolated by switches or circuitbreakers 156′, 156″. Actuation of (to open) one or both of theseswitches can form an electrical merger of these two bus sections of ringbus 140. An exemplary ring bus configuration is also discussed belowwith reference to FIG. 1B. Certain bus and ring bus configurations aredisclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/348,240, filedon Jun. 15, 2021, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMIC EXCITATIONOF AN ENERGY STORAGE ELEMENT CONFIGURED FOR USE IN AN ELECTRICAIRCRAFT,”, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, in some embodiments, systems and methods ofmerging high voltage bus-work based on battery packs may use a ring busto adapt to fewer batteries by “merging” buses and redistributing loads(e.g. electrical loads). These systems and methods may be provided inconjunction with an electric aircraft. Electric aircraft may be anyaircraft powered by electricity, such as one or more electric motorsand/or battery systems. Electric aircraft may be powered only byelectricity or partially by electricity such as a hybrid-electricaircraft. In an embodiment, electric aircraft may be an electricvertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. Electrical load may besatisfied or met by one or more energy sources such as batteries,battery modules, battery packs and/or battery systems of electricaircraft.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, system 100 for redistributing electricalload in an electrical aircraft includes ring bus 140 including pluralityof bus sections 144. Each bus section may be selectively electricallyconnectable and isolatable from one another by a plurality of switchessuch as, for example, cross-tie or X-tie switches. Each bus section maybe configured to transmit electrical power to one or more selectedcomponents or systems of electric aircraft. For example, electricalpower may be transmitted to an electric propulsion unit (EPU) ofelectric aircraft such as an electric motor, a lift component, a pushercomponent, and the like. Other components to which electrical power maybe provided may include, without limitation, a temperature managementsystem, a communication system, a navigation system, pilot controls, andthe like, among others.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, plurality of bus sections 144 includes firstbus section 144 a 1 electrically connected to first energy source (orenergy storage element) 148 a 1. First bus section may include one ormore bus elements with each bus element electrically connected to anenergy source (e.g. battery or battery pack). Various switches, fusesand/or circuit breakers may be included in the electrical circuit of thefirst bus section, as needed or desired.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, plurality of bus sections 144 includessecond bus section 144 a 2 is electrically connected to second energysource (or energy storage element) 148 a 2. First energy source andsecond energy source are configured to provide electrical energy to anelectrical load of an electric aircraft. Second bus section 144 a 2 isselectively electrically connected to (i.e., connectable and isolatablefrom) first bus section 144 a 1. Second bus section may include one ormore bus elements with each bus element electrically connected to anenergy source (e.g. battery or battery pack). Various switches, fusesand/or circuit breakers may be included in the electrical circuit of thesecond bus section, as needed or desired. Second bus section 144 a 2 maybe electrically connected or electrically isolated from first bussection 144 a 1 by switches, circuit breakers and the like, such as, forexample and without limitation, cross-tie or X-tie switches.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, system 100 for redistributing electricalload in an electrical aircraft includes controller (or computing device)104 communicatively connected to ring bus 104. controller may includeone or more computing devices configured to control the operation ofenergy sources and associated components of electric aircraft. Forexample, and without limitation, controller may include amicrocontroller, a microprocessor, a digital signal processor (DSP)and/or a system on a chip (SoC). Controller may include any circuitelement or combination thereof. For example, and without limitation,controller 104 may include an analog circuit including one or moreoperational amplifiers and/or transistors. Controller 104 may alsoinclude, for example and without limitation, an application-specificintegrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA), amicrocontroller and/or a computing device.

Still referring to FIG. 1A, controller 104 is configured to receivefault datum 136 indicative of a fault associated with one of firstenergy source and second energy source. Fault may include any faultassociated with the disruption of reliable electric power transmissionfrom one or more of the energy sources such as, for example, a groundfault, a short circuit, a thermal overload, and the like. A sensor may(e.g. sensor 128) be used to detect the fault. Sensor may be anindependent unit, or it may be a part of the controller. More than onesensor or a sensor suite may be used for fault detection. Suitablesensors may include, without limitation, a current sensor, a voltagesensor, a short circuit sensor, a ground fault sensor, a temperaturesensor, a thermal sensor, a resistance sensor, an impedance sensor, acapacitance sensor, a battery sensor, and the like, among others.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1A, controller 104 is configured to actuate,as a function of fault datum 136, at least a switch (e.g. switches 156′,156″) to electrically connect first bus section 144 a 1 and second bussection 144 a 2 so as to form an electrical merger of first bus section144 a 1 and second bus section 144 a 2. Switches, such as and withoutlimitation, cross-tie or X-tie switches may be “opened” (turned “on”) bycontroller 104. As such, more, or less, electrical power may be drawnfrom a particular energy source to selected aircraft components (e.g.flight components 108 including electric motor(s) 120). In some cases, atarget, “faulty,” degraded” or “failed” energy source may beelectrically isolated from ring bus, as discussed further below withreference to at least FIG. 1C.

With continued reference to FIG. 1A, controller 104 is configured toredistribute electrical load to compensate for the fault associated withone of first energy source 148 a 1 and second energy source 148 a 2. Forexample, the “healthy” energy source may be used to compensate for theloss of the “faulty” energy source by now providing at least some of theelectrical power lost due to the fault. Advantages of such a system mayinclude, without limitation: adaptation to fewer energy sources (orbatteries) by merging of buses and redistribution of electrical load;maximizing, or enhancing, access to energy sources (or batteries) aftera fault or even otherwise; enhanced versatility in selection of energysources (or batteries), for example, to provide additional power to aparticular aircraft component; capability to reduce potential loss inthrust, for example, if the “faulty” energy source (or battery) wassupplying electrical power to a thrust component of the electricaircraft, by provision of electrical power from the “healthy” energysource (or battery).

Referring now to FIG. 1B, another exemplary embodiment of a system 100 bfor redistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft isillustrated. System 100 b includes ring bus 140 b and controller 104(not shown in this drawing). Ring bus 140 b may include a first bussection 144 b 1 and a second bus section 144 b 2 with switches 156′ and156″ therebetween. First bus section 144 b 1 may include, withoutlimitation, two bus elements with each associated with a respectiveenergy source such as first energy source 148 b 11 and second energysource 148 b 12. Second bus section 144 b 2 may include, withoutlimitation, three bus elements with each associated with a respectiveenergy source such as first energy source 148 b 21, second energy source148 b 22 and third energy source 148 b 23. Energy sources may includeany of the energy sources as disclosed in the entirety of the presentdisclosure. Switches 156′ and 156″ may include any of the switches asdisclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure such as, withoutlimitation, cross-tie or X-tie switches. Switches 156 b 1 and 156 b 2(e.g. cross-tie or X-tie switches), circuit breakers or they may also beprovided intermediate each energy source and aircraft components such asflight components 108. Flight component(s) may include any of the flightcomponent(s) as disclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure suchas electric motor(s) 120, lift component(s) 112, pusher component(s) 116(see, for example, FIG. 1A). One or more fuses 160 or the like may alsobe provided, as needed or desired.

Still referring to FIG. 1B, energy sources 148 b 11, 148 b 12, 148 b 21,148 b 22, 148 b 23 may include a plurality of battery packs, batterymodules, battery cells, or other types of energy storage elementselectrically connected together in series and/or parallel. One ofordinary skill in the art would appreciate that there are five energysources illustrated in FIG. 1B, however, any number of energy sourcesmay be included in system and operate according to the herein describedmethodology. For example, and without limitation, first energy source148 b 11, and any of the other energy sources illustrated or described,may include portions of larger energy source elements such as fivebattery modules housed within one battery pack. For example, and withoutlimitation, first energy source 148 b 21 may include more than onebattery modules housed within one battery pack, second energy source 148b 22 may include a single battery module housed within the same batterypack, and a third energy source 148 b 23 may include an entire batterypack. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate the vastarrangements of energy sources and/or energy storage elements and therespective capacities thereof.

Still referring to FIG. 1B, ring bus 140 b and/or bus sections 144 (144b 1 and 144 b 2) may be consistent with any ring bus and bus section asdescribed in this disclosure. Bus sections may be any manner ofconductive material configured to convey electrical energy in any formas described in this disclosure between components. For example, andwithout limitation, bus sections may include any number of componentselectrically connected thereto, including circuit elements, energystorage elements, propulsors, flight control components, one or morecomputing devices, sensors, or combination thereof, among others. Bussections may include a plurality of wires or conductive strips, bars,structures, or a combination thereof. Bus sections may be configured toconvey electrical energy configured to power one or more othercomponents electrically connected thereto and/or be configured to conveyelectrical energy configured to transmit signals between one or morecomponents.

Still referring to FIG. 1B, switches 156 (156′, 156″, 156 b 1, 156 b 2)may be consistent with any switch, circuit breaker or the like asdescribed in this disclosure. For example, and without limitation,switches 156 may include a cross-tie switch or X-tie switch. Switches156 may include any electrical switches, relays, components, orcombinations thereof. Switches 156 may include transistors, includingfield-effect transistors (FETs), metal-oxide field-effect transistors(MOSFETs), and bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), combinationsthereof, and the like, among others. Switches 156 may be electricallyconnected to bus sections 144 b 1, 144 b 2 and through said bus sectionsmay be electrically and communicatively connected to any one or morecomponents as described in this disclosure, namely any of the pluralityof energy sources and/or flight components 108. Switches 156 may beconfigured to receive one or more electrical signals configured to openor close the switch such as from controller 104 (FIG. 1A). Switches 156,through said opening and closing may electrically disconnect or connect,respectively, the plurality of energy sources as described in thisdisclosure.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 1B, flight component(s) 108 may beelectrically and communicatively connected to any of the plurality ofother components as described in this disclosure through ring bus 140 band/or bus sections 144 b 1, 144 b 2. Flight component(s) 108 mayinclude a propulsor which may be one of a plurality of propulsors asdescribed in this disclosure. For example, and without limitation,flight component 108 may include an electric motor, an actuatorconsistent with any actuator as described in this disclosure, one ormore computing devices, lift component, pusher component, or any otherpropulsor or device configured to manipulate a fluid medium.

With continued reference to FIG. 1B, fuse(s) 160 may be consistent withany fuse as described in this disclosure. In general, and for thepurposes of this disclosure, a fuse is an electrical safety device thatoperate to provide overcurrent protection of an electrical circuit. As asacrificial device, its essential component may be metal wire or stripthat melts when too much current flows through it, thereby interruptingenergy flow. Fuse 160 may include a thermal fuse, mechanical fuse, bladefuse, expulsion fuse, spark gap surge arrestor, varistor, or acombination thereof. Fuse 160 may be implemented in any number ofarrangements and at any point or points within exemplary embodiment ofsystem 100 b. Fuse 160 may be included between plurality of energysources, flight components, propulsors, switches, cross tie elements, orany other component electrically connected to ring bus 140 and/or bussections 144 b 1, 144 b 2. Fuse 160 may be implemented between any otherelectrical components connected anywhere or in any system comprised bythe herein disclosed embodiments.

Still referring to FIG. 1B, for example, energy sources 148 b 11 and 148b 12 may be used to power a particular flight component 108. In theevent, of a fault in energy source 148 b 12, controller 104 may, forexample, open switch 156′ and/or switch 156″ to allow one or both ofenergy sources 148 b 21 and 148 b 22 to satisfy or sustain (e.g. byproviding electrical energy) the loss in electrical load due to thefault in energy source 148 b 12 which may be electrically isolated byclosing of the appropriate switch 156 b 1. Alternatively, aredistribution in electrical load may also be performed, if there is nofault, but if there is need for extra power to be provided to aparticular flight component 108. In such a case, said flight componentmay be powered by one or more additional energy sources, as needed ordesired, by actuation of appropriate switches (e.g. cross-tie switches).By viewing the drawing of FIG. 1B, one of ordinary skill in the art willrecognize the multiple scenarios that may be appropriately addresses bythe exemplary system 100 b in accordance with the present disclosure.

Referring now to FIG. 1C, an exemplary embodiment of an energy sourceisolation system 164 is illustrated. System 164 may be included, and/orused in conjunction with, any of the embodiments of the presentdisclosure such as, and without limitation, those described above withreference to FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. In an embodiment, a controller (e.g.controller 104 of FIG. 1A) may be configured to electrically isolate atleast one of first energy source 148 c 1 and second energy source 148 c2 from ring bus 140 c, as a function of fault datum (e.g. fault datum136 of FIG. 1A), using respective switches 168 c 1 and 168 c 2, or thelike. Switches 168 c 1, 168 c 2 my include any of the switches,breakers, and the like, as disclosed in the entirety of the presentdisclosure. For example, and without limitation, these switches mayinclude cross-tie (or X-tie) switches, transistors, includingfield-effect transistors (FETs), metal-oxide field-effect transistors(MOSFETs), and bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), combinationsthereof, and the like, among others. Switches may be actuated oractivated (e.g. opened or closed, turned on or off) by controller, asneeded or desired. For example, to electrically isolate a faulty orfailed energy source.

Referring now to FIG. 2 , an exemplary embodiment of an electricaircraft 200 which may be used in conjunction with, incorporate and/orinclude a system for redistributing electrical load (e.g. system 100 ofFIG. 1A) and/or a computing device (e.g. controller 104 of FIG. 1A) isillustrated. Electric aircraft 200, and any of its features, may be usedin conjunction with any of the embodiments of the present disclosure.Electric aircraft 200 may include any of the aircrafts as disclosed inthe present disclosure. In an embodiment, electric aircraft 200 may bean electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft. As used inthis disclosure, an “aircraft” is any vehicle that may fly by gainingsupport from the air. As a non-limiting example, aircraft may includeairplanes, helicopters, commercial, personal and/or recreationalaircrafts, instrument flight aircrafts, drones, electric aircrafts,hybrid-electric aircrafts, electric aerial vehicles, airliners,rotorcrafts, vertical takeoff and landing aircrafts, jets, airships,blimps, gliders, paramotors, quad-copters, unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs) and the like. As used in this disclosure, an “electric aircraft”is an electrically powered aircraft such as one powered by one or moreelectric motors or the like. In some embodiments, electrically powered(or electric) aircraft may be an electric vertical takeoff and landing(eVTOL) aircraft. In some embodiments, electric aircraft may include ahybrid-electric aircraft, for example and without limitation, anaircraft that may be powered by both electricity and combustion (e.g.internal combustion). Electric aircraft may be capable of rotor-basedcruising flight, rotor-based takeoff, rotor-based landing, fixed-wingcruising flight, airplane-style takeoff, airplane-style landing, and/orany combination thereof. Electric aircraft may include one or moremanned and/or unmanned aircrafts. Electric aircraft may include one ormore all-electric short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircrafts. Forexample, and without limitation, eSTOL aircrafts may accelerate theplane to a flight speed on takeoff and decelerate the plane afterlanding. In an embodiment, and without limitation, electric aircraft maybe configured with an electric propulsion assembly. Including one ormore propulsion and/or flight components. Electric propulsion assemblymay include any electric propulsion assembly (or system) as described inU.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 16/703,225, filed on Dec. 4,2019, and entitled “AN INTEGRATED ELECTRIC PROPULSION ASSEMBLY,” theentirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , as used in this disclosure, a “verticaltake-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft” is one that can hover, take off,and land vertically. An “electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft”or “eVTOL aircraft,” as used in this disclosure, is an electricallypowered VTOL aircraft typically using an energy source, of a pluralityof energy sources to power the aircraft. In order to optimize the powerand energy necessary to propel the aircraft, eVTOL may be capable ofrotor-based cruising flight, rotor-based takeoff, rotor-based landing,fixed-wing cruising flight, airplane-style takeoff, airplane stylelanding, and/or any combination thereof. Rotor-based flight, asdescribed herein, is where the aircraft generates lift and propulsion byway of one or more powered rotors or blades coupled with an engine, suchas a “quad copter,” multi-rotor helicopter, or other vehicle thatmaintains its lift primarily using downward thrusting propulsors.“Fixed-wing flight,” as described herein, is where the aircraft iscapable of flight using wings and/or foils that generate lift caused bythe aircraft's forward airspeed and the shape of the wings and/or foils,such as airplane-style flight.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in an embodiment, electric aircraft 200 maybe a hybrid-electric aircraft and may be powered by a hybrid-electricpower system. A hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) or aircraft, as used inthe present disclosure, is a type of hybrid vehicle or aircraft thatcombines a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) system with anelectric propulsion system.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , electric aircraft 200, in some embodiments,may include a fuselage 204, flight component 108 (or plurality of flightcomponents 108), a pilot control 220, a sensor (or aircraft sensor) 228(or a plurality of sensors (or aircraft sensors) 228) and flightcontroller 124. In one embodiment, flight components 108 may include atleast a lift component 112 (or a plurality of lift components 112) andat least a pusher component 116 (or a plurality of pusher components116). Sensor(s) 228 may include any of the sensors as disclosed in theentirety of this disclosure including those described with reference toat least FIG. 1A.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, controller 104 (seeFIG. 1A) may be included in electric aircraft 200 or be a part ofelectric aircraft 200. In an embodiment, controller 104 may be includedin or be a part of flight controller 124. In an embodiment, controller104 may include a unit independent from flight controller 124. In anembodiment, controller 104 may be communicatively connected to electricaircraft 200 and/or flight controller 124.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , as used in this disclosure a “fuselage” isthe main body of an aircraft, or in other words, the entirety of theaircraft except for the cockpit, nose, wings, empennage, nacelles, anyand all control surfaces, and generally contains an aircraft's payload.Fuselage 204 may include structural elements that physically support ashape and structure of an aircraft. Structural elements may take aplurality of forms, alone or in combination with other types. Structuralelements may vary depending on a construction type of aircraft such aswithout limitation a fuselage 204. Fuselage 204 may comprise a trussstructure. A truss structure may be used with a lightweight aircraft andcomprises welded steel tube trusses. A “truss,” as used in thisdisclosure, is an assembly of beams that create a rigid structure, oftenin combinations of triangles to create three-dimensional shapes. A trussstructure may alternatively comprise wood construction in place of steeltubes, or a combination thereof. In embodiments, structural elements maycomprise steel tubes and/or wood beams. In an embodiment, and withoutlimitation, structural elements may include an aircraft skin. Aircraftskin may be layered over the body shape constructed by trusses. Aircraftskin may comprise a plurality of materials such as plywood sheets,aluminum, fiberglass, and/or carbon fiber.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , it should be noted that an illustrativeembodiment is presented only, and this disclosure in no way limits theform or construction method of any of the aircrafts as disclosed herein.In embodiments, fuselage 204 may be configurable based on the needs ofthe aircraft per specific mission or objective. The general arrangementof components, structural elements, and hardware associated with storingand/or moving a payload may be added or removed from fuselage 204 asneeded, whether it is stowed manually, automatedly, or removed bypersonnel altogether. Fuselage 204 may be configurable for a pluralityof storage options. Bulkheads and dividers may be installed anduninstalled as needed, as well as longitudinal dividers where necessary.Bulkheads and dividers may be installed using integrated slots andhooks, tabs, boss and channel, or hardware like bolts, nuts, screws,nails, clips, pins, and/or dowels, to name a few. Fuselage 204 may alsobe configurable to accept certain specific cargo containers, or areceptable that can, in turn, accept certain cargo containers.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , electric aircraft 200 may include aplurality of laterally extending elements attached to fuselage 204. Asused in this disclosure a “laterally extending element” is an elementthat projects essentially horizontally from fuselage, including anoutrigger, a spar, and/or a fixed wing that extends from fuselage. Wingsmay be structures which include airfoils configured to create a pressuredifferential resulting in lift. Wings may generally dispose on the leftand right sides of the aircraft symmetrically, at a point between noseand empennage. Wings may comprise a plurality of geometries in planformview, swept swing, tapered, variable wing, triangular, oblong,elliptical, square, among others. A wing's cross section geometry maycomprise an airfoil. An “airfoil” as used in this disclosure is a shapespecifically designed such that a fluid flowing above and below it exertdiffering levels of pressure against the top and bottom surface. Inembodiments, the bottom surface of an aircraft can be configured togenerate a greater pressure than does the top, resulting in lift.Laterally extending element may comprise differing and/or similarcross-sectional geometries over its cord length or the length from wingtip to where wing meets the aircraft's body. One or more wings may besymmetrical about the aircraft's longitudinal plane, which comprises thelongitudinal or roll axis reaching down the center of the aircraftthrough the nose and empennage, and the plane's yaw axis. Laterallyextending element may comprise controls surfaces configured to becommanded by a pilot or pilots to change a wing's geometry and thereforeits interaction with a fluid medium, like air. Control surfaces maycomprise flaps, ailerons, tabs, spoilers, and slats, among others. Thecontrol surfaces may dispose on the wings in a plurality of locationsand arrangements and in embodiments may be disposed at the leading andtrailing edges of the wings, and may be configured to deflect up, down,forward, aft, or a combination thereof. An aircraft, including adual-mode aircraft may comprise a combination of control surfaces toperform maneuvers while flying or on ground. In some embodiments,winglets may be provided at terminal ends of the wings which can provideimproved aerodynamic efficiency and stability in certain flightsituations. In some embodiments, the wings may be foldable to provide acompact aircraft profile, for example, for storage, parking and/or incertain flight modes.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , electric aircraft 200 may include pluralityof flight components 108. As used in this disclosure a “flightcomponent” is a component that promotes flight and guidance of anaircraft. Flight component 108 may include power sources, control linksto one or more elements, fuses, and/or mechanical couplings used todrive and/or control any other flight component. Flight component 108may include a motor that operates to move one or more flight controlcomponents, to drive one or more propulsors, or the like. A motor may bedriven by direct current (DC) electric power and may include, withoutlimitation, brushless DC electric motors, switched reluctance motors,induction motors, or any combination thereof. A motor may also includeelectronic speed controllers or other components for regulating motorspeed, rotation direction, and/or dynamic braking. Flight component 108may include an energy source. An energy source may include, for example,a generator, a photovoltaic device, a fuel cell such as a hydrogen fuelcell, direct methanol fuel cell, and/or solid oxide fuel cell, anelectric energy storage device (e.g. a capacitor, an inductor, and/or abattery). An energy source may also include a battery cell, or aplurality of battery cells connected in series into a module and eachmodule connected in series or in parallel with other modules.Configuration of an energy source containing connected modules may bedesigned to meet an energy or power requirement and may be designed tofit within a designated footprint in an electric aircraft.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in an embodiment, flight component 108 maybe mechanically coupled to an aircraft. As used herein, a person ofordinary skill in the art would understand “mechanically coupled” tomean that at least a portion of a device, component, or circuit isconnected to at least a portion of the aircraft via a mechanicalcoupling. Said mechanical coupling can include, for example, rigidcoupling, such as beam coupling, bellows coupling, bushed pin coupling,constant velocity, split-muff coupling, diaphragm coupling, disccoupling, donut coupling, elastic coupling, flexible coupling, fluidcoupling, gear coupling, grid coupling, hirth joints, hydrodynamiccoupling, jaw coupling, magnetic coupling, Oldham coupling, sleevecoupling, tapered shaft lock, twin spring coupling, rag joint coupling,universal joints, or any combination thereof. In an embodiment,mechanical coupling may be used to connect the ends of adjacent partsand/or objects of an electric aircraft. Further, in an embodiment,mechanical coupling may be used to join two pieces of rotating electricaircraft components.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in an embodiment, plurality of flightcomponents 108 of aircraft 200 may include at least a lift component 112and at least a pusher component 116. Flight component 108 may include apropulsor, a propeller, a motor, rotor, a rotating element, electricalenergy source, battery, and the like, among others. Each flightcomponent may be configured to generate lift and flight of electricaircraft. In some embodiments, flight component 108 may include one ormore lift components 112, one or more pusher components 116, one or morebattery packs including one or more batteries or cells, and one or moreelectric motors. Flight component 108 may include a propulsor. As usedin this disclosure a “propulsor component” or “propulsor” is a componentand/or device used to propel a craft by exerting force on a fluidmedium, which may include a gaseous medium such as air or a liquidmedium such as water. In an embodiment, when a propulsor twists andpulls air behind it, it may, at the same time, push an aircraft forwardwith an amount of force and/or thrust. More air pulled behind anaircraft results in greater thrust with which the aircraft is pushedforward. Propulsor component may include any device or component thatconsumes electrical power on demand to propel an electric aircraft in adirection or other vehicle while on ground or in-flight.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, lift component 112 mayinclude a propulsor, a propeller, a blade, a motor, a rotor, a rotatingelement, an aileron, a rudder, arrangements thereof, combinationsthereof, and the like. Each lift component 112, when a plurality ispresent, of plurality of flight components 108 is configured to produce,in an embodiment, substantially upward and/or vertical thrust such thataircraft moves upward.

With continued reference to FIG. 2 , as used in this disclosure a “liftcomponent” is a component and/or device used to propel a craft upward byexerting downward force on a fluid medium, which may include a gaseousmedium such as air or a liquid medium such as water. Lift component 112may include any device or component that consumes electrical power ondemand to propel an electric aircraft in a direction or other vehiclewhile on ground or in-flight. For example, and without limitation, liftcomponent 112 may include a rotor, propeller, paddle wheel and the likethereof, wherein a rotor is a component that produces torque along thelongitudinal axis, and a propeller produces torque along the verticalaxis. In an embodiment, lift component 112 includes a plurality ofblades. As used in this disclosure a “blade” is a propeller thatconverts rotary motion from an engine or other power source into aswirling slipstream. In an embodiment, blade may convert rotary motionto push the propeller forwards or backwards. In an embodiment liftcomponent 112 may include a rotating power-driven hub, to which areattached several radial airfoil-section blades such that the wholeassembly rotates about a longitudinal axis. Blades may be configured atan angle of attack. In an embodiment, and without limitation, angle ofattack may include a fixed angle of attack. As used in this disclosure a“fixed angle of attack” is fixed angle between a chord line of a bladeand relative wind. As used in this disclosure a “fixed angle” is anangle that is secured and/or unmovable from the attachment point. In anembodiment, and without limitation, angle of attack may include avariable angle of attack. As used in this disclosure a “variable angleof attack” is a variable and/or moveable angle between a chord line of ablade and relative wind. As used in this disclosure a “variable angle”is an angle that is moveable from an attachment point. In an embodiment,angle of attack be configured to produce a fixed pitch angle. As used inthis disclosure a “fixed pitch angle” is a fixed angle between a cordline of a blade and the rotational velocity direction. In an embodimentfixed angle of attack may be manually variable to a few set positions toadjust one or more lifts of the aircraft prior to flight. In anembodiment, blades for an aircraft are designed to be fixed to their hubat an angle similar to the thread on a screw makes an angle to theshaft; this angle may be referred to as a pitch or pitch angle whichwill determine a speed of forward movement as the blade rotates.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 2 , lift component 112 maybe configured to produce a lift. As used in this disclosure a “lift” isa perpendicular force to the oncoming flow direction of fluidsurrounding the surface. For example, and without limitation relativeair speed may be horizontal to the aircraft, wherein lift force may be aforce exerted in a vertical direction, directing the aircraft upwards.In an embodiment, and without limitation, lift component 112 may producelift as a function of applying a torque to lift component. As used inthis disclosure a “torque” is a measure of force that causes an objectto rotate about an axis in a direction. For example, and withoutlimitation, torque may rotate an aileron and/or rudder to generate aforce that may adjust and/or affect altitude, airspeed velocity,groundspeed velocity, direction during flight, and/or thrust. Forexample, one or more flight components 108 such as a power source(s) mayapply a torque on lift component 112 to produce lift.

In an embodiment and still referring to FIG. 2 , a plurality of liftcomponents 112 of plurality of flight components 108 may be arranged ina quad copter orientation. As used in this disclosure a “quad copterorientation” is at least a lift component oriented in a geometric shapeand/or pattern, wherein each of the lift components is located along avertex of the geometric shape. For example, and without limitation, asquare quad copter orientation may have four lift propulsor componentsoriented in the geometric shape of a square, wherein each of the fourlift propulsor components are located along the four vertices of thesquare shape. As a further non-limiting example, a hexagonal quad copterorientation may have six lift components oriented in the geometric shapeof a hexagon, wherein each of the six lift components are located alongthe six vertices of the hexagon shape. In an embodiment, and withoutlimitation, quad copter orientation may include a first set of liftcomponents and a second set of lift components, wherein the first set oflift components and the second set of lift components may include twolift components each, wherein the first set of lift components and asecond set of lift components are distinct from one another. Forexample, and without limitation, the first set of lift components mayinclude two lift components that rotate in a clockwise direction,wherein the second set of lift propulsor components may include two liftcomponents that rotate in a counterclockwise direction. In anembodiment, and without limitation, the first set of lift components maybe oriented along a line oriented 45° from the longitudinal axis ofaircraft 200. In another embodiment, and without limitation, the secondset of lift components may be oriented along a line oriented 135° fromthe longitudinal axis, wherein the first set of lift components line andthe second set of lift components are perpendicular to each other.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , pusher component 116 and lift component 112(of flight component(s) 108) may include any such components and relateddevices as disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.16/427,298, filed on May 30, 2019, entitled “SELECTIVELY DEPLOYABLEHEATED PROPULSOR SYSTEM,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.16/703,225, filed on Dec. 4, 2019, entitled “AN INTEGRATED ELECTRICPROPULSION ASSEMBLY,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.16/910,255, filed on Jun. 24, 2020, entitled “AN INTEGRATED ELECTRICPROPULSION ASSEMBLY,”, U.S. Nonprovisional applications. Ser. No.17/319,155, filed on May 13, 2021, entitled “AIRCRAFT HAVING REVERSETHRUST CAPABILITIES,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No.16/929,206, filed on Jul. 15, 2020, entitled “A HOVER AND THRUST CONTROLASSEMBLY FOR DUAL-MODE AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser.No. 17/001,845, filed on Aug. 25, 2020, entitled “A HOVER AND THRUSTCONTROL ASSEMBLY FOR DUAL-MODE AIRCRAFT,”, U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 17/186,079, filed on Feb. 26, 2021, entitled“METHODS AND SYSTEM FOR ESTIMATING PERCENTAGE TORQUE PRODUCED BY APROPULSOR CONFIGURED FOR USE IN AN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT,”, and U.S.Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/321,662, filed on May 17, 2021,entitled “AIRCRAFT FOR FIXED PITCH LIFT,”, the entirety of each one ofwhich is incorporated herein by reference. Any aircrafts, includingelectric and eVTOL aircrafts, as disclosed in any of these applicationsmay efficaciously be utilized with any of the embodiments as disclosedherein, as needed or desired. Any flight controllers as disclosed in anyof these applications may efficaciously be utilized with any of theembodiments as disclosed herein, as needed or desired.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , pusher component 116 may include apropulsor, a propeller, a blade, a motor, a rotor, a rotating element,an aileron, a rudder, arrangements thereof, combinations thereof, andthe like. Each pusher component 116, when a plurality is present, of theplurality of flight components 108 is configured to produce, in anembodiment, substantially forward and/or horizontal thrust such that theaircraft moves forward.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , as used in this disclosure a “pushercomponent” is a component that pushes and/or thrusts an aircraft througha medium. As a non-limiting example, pusher component 116 may include apusher propeller, a paddle wheel, a pusher motor, a pusher propulsor,and the like. Additionally, or alternatively, pusher flight componentmay include a plurality of pusher flight components. Pusher component116 is configured to produce a forward thrust. As a non-limitingexample, forward thrust may include a force-to-force aircraft to in ahorizontal direction along the longitudinal axis. As a furthernon-limiting example, pusher component 116 may twist and/or rotate topull air behind it and, at the same time, push aircraft 200 forward withan equal amount of force. In an embodiment, and without limitation, themore air forced behind aircraft, the greater the thrust force with whichthe aircraft is pushed horizontally will be. In another embodiment, andwithout limitation, forward thrust may force aircraft 200 through themedium of relative air. Additionally or alternatively, plurality offlight components 108 may include one or more puller components. As usedin this disclosure a “puller component” is a component that pulls and/ortows an aircraft through a medium. As a non-limiting example, pullercomponent may include a flight component such as a puller propeller, apuller motor, a tractor propeller, a puller propulsor, and the like.Additionally, or alternatively, puller component may include a pluralityof puller flight components.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in an embodiment, aircraft 200 may include apilot control 220. As used in this disclosure, a “pilot control” is amechanism or means which allows a pilot to monitor and control operationof aircraft such as its flight components (for example, and withoutlimitation, pusher component, lift component and other components suchas propulsion components). For example, and without limitation, pilotcontrol 220 may include a collective, inceptor, foot bake, steeringand/or control wheel, control stick, pedals, throttle levers, and thelike. Pilot control 220 may be configured to translate a pilot's desiredtorque for each flight component of the plurality of flight components,such as and without limitation, pusher component 116 and lift component112. Pilot control 220 may be configured to control, via inputs and/orsignals such as from a pilot, the pitch, roll, and yaw of the aircraft.Pilot control may be available onboard aircraft or remotely located fromit, as needed or desired. As noted above, flight datum may include pilotcontrol data.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , as used in this disclosure a “collectivecontrol” or “collective” is a mechanical control of an aircraft thatallows a pilot to adjust and/or control the pitch angle of plurality offlight components 108. For example and without limitation, collectivecontrol may alter and/or adjust the pitch angle of all of the main rotorblades collectively. For example, and without limitation pilot control220 may include a yoke control. As used in this disclosure a “yokecontrol” is a mechanical control of an aircraft to control the pitchand/or roll. For example and without limitation, yoke control may alterand/or adjust the roll angle of aircraft 200 as a function ofcontrolling and/or maneuvering ailerons. In an embodiment, pilot control220 may include one or more footbrakes, control sticks, pedals, throttlelevels, and the like thereof. In another embodiment, and withoutlimitation, pilot control 220 may be configured to control a principalaxis of the aircraft. As used in this disclosure a “principal axis” isan axis in a body representing one three dimensional orientations. Forexample, and without limitation, principal axis or more yaw, pitch,and/or roll axis. Principal axis may include a yaw axis. As used in thisdisclosure a “yaw axis” is an axis that is directed towards the bottomof aircraft, perpendicular to the wings. For example, and withoutlimitation, a positive yawing motion may include adjusting and/orshifting nose of aircraft 200 to the right. Principal axis may include apitch axis. As used in this disclosure a “pitch axis” is an axis that isdirected towards the right laterally extending wing of aircraft. Forexample, and without limitation, a positive pitching motion may includeadjusting and/or shifting nose of aircraft 200 upwards. Principal axismay include a roll axis. As used in this disclosure a “roll axis” is anaxis that is directed longitudinally towards nose of aircraft, parallelto fuselage. For example, and without limitation, a positive rollingmotion may include lifting the left and lowering the right wingconcurrently. Pilot control 220 may be configured to modify a variablepitch angle. For example, and without limitation, pilot control 220 mayadjust one or more angles of attack of a propulsor or propeller.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , aircraft 200 may include one or moresensor(s) (or aircraft sensor(s)) 228. Still referring to FIG. 1 ,sensor(s) 228 may include any sensor or noise monitoring circuitdescribed in this disclosure. Sensor 228, in some embodiments, may becommunicatively connected or coupled to flight controller 124. Sensor228 may be configured to sense a characteristic of pilot control 220.Sensor may be a device, module, and/or subsystem, utilizing anyhardware, software, and/or any combination thereof to sense acharacteristic and/or changes thereof, in an instant environment, forinstance without limitation a pilot control 220, which the sensor isproximal to or otherwise in a sensed communication with, and transmitinformation associated with the characteristic, for instance withoutlimitation digitized data. Sensor 228 may be mechanically and/orcommunicatively coupled to aircraft 200, including, for instance, to atleast a pilot control 220. Sensor 228 may be configured to sense acharacteristic associated with at least a pilot control 220. Anenvironmental sensor may include without limitation one or more sensorsused to detect ambient temperature, barometric pressure, and/or airvelocity. Sensor 228 may include without limitation gyroscopes,accelerometers, inertial measurement unit (IMU), and/or magneticsensors, one or more humidity sensors, one or more oxygen sensors, orthe like. Additionally or alternatively, sensor 228 may include at leasta geospatial sensor. Sensor 228 may be located inside aircraft, and/orbe included in and/or attached to at least a portion of aircraft. Sensormay include one or more proximity sensors, displacement sensors,vibration sensors, and the like thereof. Sensor may be used to monitorthe status of aircraft 200 for both critical and non-critical functions.Sensor may be incorporated into vehicle or aircraft or be remote.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, sensor(s) 228 may beconfigured to sense a characteristic associated with any pilot controldescribed in this disclosure including flight datum 136 of FIG. 1 .Non-limiting examples of sensor 228 may include an inertial measurementunit (IMU), an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a proximity sensor, apressure sensor, a light sensor, a pitot tube, an air speed sensor, aposition sensor, a speed sensor, a switch, a thermometer, a straingauge, an acoustic sensor, and an electrical sensor. In some cases,sensor 228 may sense a characteristic as an analog measurement, forinstance, yielding a continuously variable electrical potentialindicative of the sensed characteristic. In these cases, sensor 228 mayadditionally comprise an analog to digital converter (ADC) as well asany additionally circuitry, such as without limitation a Wheatstonebridge, an amplifier, a filter, and the like. For instance, in somecases, sensor 228 may comprise a strain gage configured to determineloading of one or more aircraft components, for instance landing gear.Strain gage may be included within a circuit comprising a Wheatstonebridge, an amplified, and a bandpass filter to provide an analog strainmeasurement signal having a high signal to noise ratio, whichcharacterizes strain on a landing gear member. An ADC may then digitizeanalog signal produces a digital signal that can then be transmittedother systems within aircraft 200, for instance without limitation acomputing system, a pilot display, and a memory component. Alternativelyor additionally, sensor 228 may sense a characteristic of a pilotcontrol 220 digitally. For instance in some embodiments, sensor 228 maysense a characteristic through a digital means or digitize a sensedsignal natively. In some cases, for example, sensor 228 may include arotational encoder and be configured to sense a rotational position of apilot control; in this case, the rotational encoder digitally may senserotational “clicks” by any known method, such as without limitationmagnetically, optically, and the like. Sensor 228 may include any of thesensors as disclosed in the present disclosure. Sensor 228 may include aplurality of sensors or a sensor suite. Any of these sensors may belocated at any suitable position in or on aircraft 200.

With continued reference to FIG. 2 , in some embodiments, electricaircraft 200 includes, or may be coupled to or communicatively connectedto, flight controller 124 which is described further with reference toFIG. 3 . As used in this disclosure a “flight controller” is a computingdevice of a plurality of computing devices dedicated to data storage,security, distribution of traffic for load balancing, and flightinstruction. In embodiments, flight controller may be installed in anaircraft, may control the aircraft remotely, and/or may include anelement installed in the aircraft and a remote element in communicationtherewith. Flight controller 124, in an embodiment, is located withinfuselage 204 of aircraft. In accordance with some embodiments, flightcontroller is configured to operate a vertical lift flight (upwards ordownwards, that is, takeoff or landing), a fixed wing flight (forward orbackwards), a transition between a vertical lift flight and a fixed wingflight, and a combination of a vertical lift flight and a fixed wingflight.

Still referring to FIG. 2 , in an embodiment, and without limitation,flight controller 124 may be configured to operate a fixed-wing flightcapability. A “fixed-wing flight capability” can be a method of flightwherein the plurality of laterally extending elements generate lift. Forexample, and without limitation, fixed-wing flight capability maygenerate lift as a function of an airspeed of aircraft 200 and one ormore airfoil shapes of the laterally extending elements. As a furthernon-limiting example, flight controller 124 may operate the fixed-wingflight capability as a function of reducing applied torque on lift(propulsor) component 112. In an embodiment, and without limitation, anamount of lift generation may be related to an amount of forward thrustgenerated to increase airspeed velocity, wherein the amount of liftgeneration may be directly proportional to the amount of forward thrustproduced. Additionally or alternatively, flight controller may includean inertia compensator. As used in this disclosure an “inertiacompensator” is one or more computing devices, electrical components,logic circuits, processors, and the like there of that are configured tocompensate for inertia in one or more lift (propulsor) componentspresent in aircraft 200. Inertia compensator may alternatively oradditionally include any computing device used as an inertia compensatoras described in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/106,557,filed on Nov. 30, 2020, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FLIGHTCONTROL IN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT,” the entirety of which is incorporatedherein by reference. Flight controller 124 may efficaciously include anyflight controllers as disclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser.No. 17/106,557, filed on Nov. 30, 2020, and entitled “SYSTEM AND METHODFOR FLIGHT CONTROL IN ELECTRIC AIRCRAFT.”

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 2 , flight controller 124may be configured to perform a reverse thrust command. As used in thisdisclosure a “reverse thrust command” is a command to perform a thrustthat forces a medium towards the relative air opposing aircraft 200.Reverse thrust command may alternatively or additionally include anyreverse thrust command as described in U.S. Nonprovisional applicationSer. No. 17/319,155, filed on May 13, 2021, and entitled “AIRCRAFTHAVING REVERSE THRUST CAPABILITIES,” the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference. In another embodiment, flightcontroller may be configured to perform a regenerative drag operation.As used in this disclosure a “regenerative drag operation” is anoperating condition of an aircraft, wherein the aircraft has a negativethrust and/or is reducing in airspeed velocity. For example, and withoutlimitation, regenerative drag operation may include a positive propellerspeed and a negative propeller thrust. Regenerative drag operation mayalternatively or additionally include any regenerative drag operation asdescribed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/319,155. Flightcontroller 124 may efficaciously include any flight controllers asdisclosed in U.S. Nonprovisional application Ser. No. 17/319,155, filedon May 13, 2021, and entitled “AIRCRAFT HAVING REVERSE THRUSTCAPABILITIES,”.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 2 , flight controller 124may be configured to perform a corrective action as a function of afailure event. As used in this disclosure a “corrective action” is anaction conducted by the plurality of flight components to correct and/oralter a movement of an aircraft. For example, and without limitation, acorrective action may include an action to reduce a yaw torque generatedby a failure event. Additionally or alternatively, corrective action mayinclude any corrective action as described in U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 17/222,539, filed on Apr. 5, 2021, and entitled“AIRCRAFT FOR SELF-NEUTRALIZING FLIGHT,” the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference. As used in this disclosure a “failureevent” is a failure of a lift component of the plurality of liftcomponents. For example, and without limitation, a failure event maydenote a rotation degradation of a rotor, a reduced torque of a rotor,and the like thereof. Additionally or alternatively, failure event mayinclude any failure event as described in U.S. Nonprovisionalapplication Ser. No. 17/113,647, filed on Dec. 7, 2020, and entitled“IN-FLIGHT STABILIZATION OF AN AIRCRAFT,” the entirety of which isincorporated herein by reference. Flight controller 124 mayefficaciously include any flight controllers as disclosed in U.S.Nonprovisional application Ser. Nos. 17/222,539 and 17/113,647.

With continued reference to FIG. 2 , flight controller 124 may includeone or more computing devices. Computing device may include anycomputing device as described in this disclosure. Flight controller 124may be onboard aircraft 200 and/or flight controller 124 may be remotefrom aircraft 200, as long as, in some embodiments, flight controller124 is communicatively connected to aircraft 200. As used in thisdisclosure, “remote” is a spatial separation between two or moreelements, systems, components or devices. Stated differently, twoelements may be remote from one another if they are physically spacedapart. In an embodiment, flight controller 124 may include aproportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller.

Now referring to FIG. 3 , an exemplary embodiment 300 of a flightcontroller 304 is illustrated. (Flight controller 124 of FIG. 1A andFIG. 2 may be the same as or similar to flight controller 304.) As usedin this disclosure a “flight controller” is a computing device of aplurality of computing devices dedicated to data storage, security,distribution of traffic for load balancing, and flight instruction.Flight controller 304 may include and/or communicate with any computingdevice as described in this disclosure, including without limitation amicrocontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP) and/orsystem on a chip (SoC) as described in this disclosure. Further, flightcontroller 304 may include a single computing device operatingindependently, or may include two or more computing device operating inconcert, in parallel, sequentially or the like; two or more computingdevices may be included together in a single computing device or in twoor more computing devices. In embodiments, flight controller 304 may beinstalled in an aircraft, may control the aircraft remotely, and/or mayinclude an element installed in the aircraft and a remote element incommunication therewith.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller 304may include a signal transformation component 308. As used in thisdisclosure a “signal transformation component” is a component thattransforms and/or converts a first signal to a second signal, wherein asignal may include one or more digital and/or analog signals. Forexample, and without limitation, signal transformation component 308 maybe configured to perform one or more operations such as preprocessing,lexical analysis, parsing, semantic analysis, and the like thereof. Inan embodiment, and without limitation, signal transformation component308 may include one or more analog-to-digital convertors that transforma first signal of an analog signal to a second signal of a digitalsignal. For example, and without limitation, an analog-to-digitalconverter may convert an analog input signal to a 10-bit binary digitalrepresentation of that signal. In another embodiment, signaltransformation component 308 may include transforming one or morelow-level languages such as, but not limited to, machine languagesand/or assembly languages. For example, and without limitation, signaltransformation component 308 may include transforming a binary languagesignal to an assembly language signal. In an embodiment, and withoutlimitation, signal transformation component 308 may include transformingone or more high-level languages and/or formal languages such as but notlimited to alphabets, strings, and/or languages. For example, andwithout limitation, high-level languages may include one or more systemlanguages, scripting languages, domain-specific languages, visuallanguages, esoteric languages, and the like thereof. As a furthernon-limiting example, high-level languages may include one or morealgebraic formula languages, business data languages, string and listlanguages, object-oriented languages, and the like thereof.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , signal transformation component 308 may beconfigured to optimize an intermediate representation 312. As used inthis disclosure an “intermediate representation” is a data structureand/or code that represents the input signal. Signal transformationcomponent 308 may optimize intermediate representation as a function ofa data-flow analysis, dependence analysis, alias analysis, pointeranalysis, escape analysis, and the like thereof. In an embodiment, andwithout limitation, signal transformation component 308 may optimizeintermediate representation 312 as a function of one or more inlineexpansions, dead code eliminations, constant propagation, looptransformations, and/or automatic parallelization functions. In anotherembodiment, signal transformation component 308 may optimizeintermediate representation as a function of a machine dependentoptimization such as a peephole optimization, wherein a peepholeoptimization may rewrite short sequences of code into more efficientsequences of code. Signal transformation component 308 may optimizeintermediate representation to generate an output language, wherein an“output language,” as used herein, is the native machine language offlight controller 304. For example, and without limitation, nativemachine language may include one or more binary and/or numericallanguages.

In an embodiment, and without limitation, signal transformationcomponent 308 may include transform one or more inputs and outputs as afunction of an error correction code. An error correction code, alsoknown as error correcting code (ECC), is an encoding of a message or lotof data using redundant information, permitting recovery of corrupteddata. An ECC may include a block code, in which information is encodedon fixed-size packets and/or blocks of data elements such as symbols ofpredetermined size, bits, or the like. Reed-Solomon coding, in whichmessage symbols within a symbol set having q symbols are encoded ascoefficients of a polynomial of degree less than or equal to a naturalnumber k, over a finite field F with q elements; strings so encoded havea minimum hamming distance of k+1, and permit correction of (q−k−1)/2erroneous symbols. Block code may alternatively or additionally beimplemented using Golay coding, also known as binary Golay coding,Bose-Chaudhuri, Hocquenghuem (BCH) coding, multidimensional parity-checkcoding, and/or Hamming codes. An ECC may alternatively or additionallybe based on a convolutional code.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller 304may include a reconfigurable hardware platform 316. A “reconfigurablehardware platform,” as used herein, is a component and/or unit ofhardware that may be reprogrammed, such that, for instance, a data pathbetween elements such as logic gates or other digital circuit elementsmay be modified to change an algorithm, state, logical sequence, or thelike of the component and/or unit. This may be accomplished with suchflexible high-speed computing fabrics as field-programmable gate arrays(FPGAs), which may include a grid of interconnected logic gates,connections between which may be severed and/or restored to program inmodified logic. Reconfigurable hardware platform 316 may be reconfiguredto enact any algorithm and/or algorithm selection process received fromanother computing device and/or created using machine-learningprocesses.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , reconfigurable hardware platform 316 mayinclude a logic component 320. As used in this disclosure a “logiccomponent” is a component that executes instructions on output language.For example, and without limitation, logic component may perform basicarithmetic, logic, controlling, input/output operations, and the likethereof. Logic component 320 may include any suitable processor, such aswithout limitation a component incorporating logical circuitry forperforming arithmetic and logical operations, such as an arithmetic andlogic unit (ALU), which may be regulated with a state machine anddirected by operational inputs from memory and/or sensors; logiccomponent 320 may be organized according to Von Neumann and/or Harvardarchitecture as a non-limiting example. Logic component 320 may include,incorporate, and/or be incorporated in, without limitation, amicrocontroller, microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), FieldProgrammable Gate Array (FPGA), Complex Programmable Logic Device(CPLD), Graphical Processing Unit (GPU), general purpose GPU, TensorProcessing Unit (TPU), analog or mixed signal processor, TrustedPlatform Module (TPM), a floating-point unit (FPU), and/or system on achip (SoC). In an embodiment, logic component 320 may include one ormore integrated circuit microprocessors, which may contain one or morecentral processing units, central processors, and/or main processors, ona single metal-oxide-semiconductor chip. Logic component 320 may beconfigured to execute a sequence of stored instructions to be performedon the output language and/or intermediate representation 312. Logiccomponent 320 may be configured to fetch and/or retrieve the instructionfrom a memory cache, wherein a “memory cache,” as used in thisdisclosure, is a stored instruction set on flight controller 304. Logiccomponent 320 may be configured to decode the instruction retrieved fromthe memory cache to opcodes and/or operands. Logic component 320 may beconfigured to execute the instruction on intermediate representation 312and/or output language. For example, and without limitation, logiccomponent 320 may be configured to execute an addition operation onintermediate representation 312 and/or output language.

In an embodiment, and without limitation, logic component 320 may beconfigured to calculate a flight element 324. As used in this disclosurea “flight element” is an element of datum denoting a relative status ofaircraft. For example, and without limitation, flight element 324 maydenote one or more torques, thrusts, airspeed velocities, forces,altitudes, groundspeed velocities, directions during flight, directionsfacing, forces, orientations, and the like thereof. For example, andwithout limitation, flight element 324 may denote that aircraft iscruising at an altitude and/or with a sufficient magnitude of forwardthrust. As a further non-limiting example, flight status may denote thatis building thrust and/or groundspeed velocity in preparation for atakeoff. As a further non-limiting example, flight element 324 maydenote that aircraft is following a flight path accurately and/orsufficiently.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller 304 may include a chipsetcomponent 328. As used in this disclosure a “chipset component” is acomponent that manages data flow. In an embodiment, and withoutlimitation, chipset component 328 may include a northbridge data flowpath, wherein the northbridge dataflow path may manage data flow fromlogic component 320 to a high-speed device and/or component, such as aRAM, graphics controller, and the like thereof. In another embodiment,and without limitation, chipset component 328 may include a southbridgedata flow path, wherein the southbridge dataflow path may manage dataflow from logic component 320 to lower-speed peripheral buses, such as aperipheral component interconnect (PCI), industry standard architecture(ICA), and the like thereof. In an embodiment, and without limitation,southbridge data flow path may include managing data flow betweenperipheral connections such as ethernet, USB, audio devices, and thelike thereof. Additionally or alternatively, chipset component 328 maymanage data flow between logic component 320, memory cache, and a flightcomponent 108. As used in this disclosure (and with particular referenceto FIG. 3 ) a “flight component” is a portion of an aircraft that can bemoved or adjusted to affect one or more flight elements. For example,flight component 108 may include a component used to affect theaircrafts' roll and pitch which may comprise one or more ailerons. As afurther example, flight component 108 may include a rudder to controlyaw of an aircraft. In an embodiment, chipset component 328 may beconfigured to communicate with a plurality of flight components as afunction of flight element 324. For example, and without limitation,chipset component 328 may transmit to an aircraft rotor to reduce torqueof a first lift propulsor and increase the forward thrust produced by apusher component to perform a flight maneuver.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller 304may be configured generate an autonomous function. As used in thisdisclosure an “autonomous function” is a mode and/or function of flightcontroller 304 that controls aircraft automatically. For example, andwithout limitation, autonomous function may perform one or more aircraftmaneuvers, take offs, landings, altitude adjustments, flight levelingadjustments, turns, climbs, and/or descents. As a further non-limitingexample, autonomous function may adjust one or more airspeed velocities,thrusts, torques, and/or groundspeed velocities. As a furthernon-limiting example, autonomous function may perform one or more flightpath corrections and/or flight path modifications as a function offlight element 324. In an embodiment, autonomous function may includeone or more modes of autonomy such as, but not limited to, autonomousmode, semi-autonomous mode, and/or non-autonomous mode. As used in thisdisclosure “autonomous mode” is a mode that automatically adjusts and/orcontrols aircraft and/or the maneuvers of aircraft in its entirety. Forexample, autonomous mode may denote that flight controller 304 willadjust the aircraft. As used in this disclosure a “semi-autonomous mode”is a mode that automatically adjusts and/or controls a portion and/orsection of aircraft. For example, and without limitation,semi-autonomous mode may denote that a pilot will control thepropulsors, wherein flight controller 304 will control the aileronsand/or rudders. As used in this disclosure “non-autonomous mode” is amode that denotes a pilot will control aircraft and/or maneuvers ofaircraft in its entirety.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller 304may generate autonomous function as a function of an autonomousmachine-learning model. As used in this disclosure an “autonomousmachine-learning model” is a machine-learning model to produce anautonomous function output given flight element 324 and a pilot signal336 as inputs; this is in contrast to a non-machine learning softwareprogram where the commands to be executed are determined in advance by auser and written in a programming language. As used in this disclosure a“pilot signal” is an element of datum representing one or more functionsa pilot is controlling and/or adjusting. For example, pilot signal 336may denote that a pilot is controlling and/or maneuvering ailerons,wherein the pilot is not in control of the rudders and/or propulsors. Inan embodiment, pilot signal 336 may include an implicit signal and/or anexplicit signal. For example, and without limitation, pilot signal 336may include an explicit signal, wherein the pilot explicitly statesthere is a lack of control and/or desire for autonomous function. As afurther non-limiting example, pilot signal 336 may include an explicitsignal directing flight controller 304 to control and/or maintain aportion of aircraft, a portion of the flight plan, the entire aircraft,and/or the entire flight plan. As a further non-limiting example, pilotsignal 336 may include an implicit signal, wherein flight controller 304detects a lack of control such as by a malfunction, torque alteration,flight path deviation, and the like thereof. In an embodiment, andwithout limitation, pilot signal 336 may include one or more explicitsignals to reduce torque, and/or one or more implicit signals thattorque may be reduced due to reduction of airspeed velocity. In anembodiment, and without limitation, pilot signal 336 may include one ormore local and/or global signals. For example, and without limitation,pilot signal 336 may include a local signal that is transmitted by apilot and/or crew member. As a further non-limiting example, pilotsignal 336 may include a global signal that is transmitted by airtraffic control and/or one or more remote users that are incommunication with the pilot of aircraft. In an embodiment, pilot signal336 may be received as a function of a tri-state bus and/or multiplexorthat denotes an explicit pilot signal should be transmitted prior to anyimplicit or global pilot signal.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , autonomous machine-learning model mayinclude one or more autonomous machine-learning processes such assupervised, unsupervised, or reinforcement machine-learning processesthat flight controller 304 and/or a remote device may or may not use inthe generation of autonomous function. As used in this disclosure“remote device” is an external device to flight controller 304.Additionally or alternatively, autonomous machine-learning model mayinclude one or more autonomous machine-learning processes that afield-programmable gate array (FPGA) may or may not use in thegeneration of autonomous function. Autonomous machine-learning processmay include, without limitation machine learning processes such assimple linear regression, multiple linear regression, polynomialregression, support vector regression, ridge regression, lassoregression, elasticnet regression, decision tree regression, randomforest regression, logistic regression, logistic classification,K-nearest neighbors, support vector machines, kernel support vectormachines, naïve bayes, decision tree classification, random forestclassification, K-means clustering, hierarchical clustering,dimensionality reduction, principal component analysis, lineardiscriminant analysis, kernel principal component analysis, Q-learning,State Action Reward State Action (SARSA), Deep-Q network, Markovdecision processes, Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (DDPG), or thelike thereof.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3 , autonomous machinelearning model may be trained as a function of autonomous training data,wherein autonomous training data may correlate a flight element, pilotsignal, and/or simulation data to an autonomous function. For example,and without limitation, a flight element of an airspeed velocity, apilot signal of limited and/or no control of propulsors, and asimulation data of required airspeed velocity to reach the destinationmay result in an autonomous function that includes a semi-autonomousmode to increase thrust of the propulsors. Autonomous training data maybe received as a function of user-entered valuations of flight elements,pilot signals, simulation data, and/or autonomous functions. Flightcontroller 304 may receive autonomous training data by receivingcorrelations of flight element, pilot signal, and/or simulation data toan autonomous function that were previously received and/or determinedduring a previous iteration of generation of autonomous function.Autonomous training data may be received by one or more remote devicesand/or FPGAs that at least correlate a flight element, pilot signal,and/or simulation data to an autonomous function. Autonomous trainingdata may be received in the form of one or more user-enteredcorrelations of a flight element, pilot signal, and/or simulation datato an autonomous function.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller 304 may receive autonomousmachine-learning model from a remote device and/or FPGA that utilizesone or more autonomous machine learning processes, wherein a remotedevice and an FPGA is described above in detail. For example, andwithout limitation, a remote device may include a computing device,external device, processor, FPGA, microprocessor and the like thereof.Remote device and/or FPGA may perform the autonomous machine-learningprocess using autonomous training data to generate autonomous functionand transmit the output to flight controller 304. Remote device and/orFPGA may transmit a signal, bit, datum, or parameter to flightcontroller 304 that at least relates to autonomous function.Additionally or alternatively, the remote device and/or FPGA may providean updated machine-learning model. For example, and without limitation,an updated machine-learning model may be comprised of a firmware update,a software update, an autonomous machine-learning process correction,and the like thereof. As a non-limiting example a software update mayincorporate a new simulation data that relates to a modified flightelement. Additionally or alternatively, the updated machine learningmodel may be transmitted to the remote device and/or FPGA, wherein theremote device and/or FPGA may replace the autonomous machine-learningmodel with the updated machine-learning model and generate theautonomous function as a function of the flight element, pilot signal,and/or simulation data using the updated machine-learning model. Theupdated machine-learning model may be transmitted by the remote deviceand/or FPGA and received by flight controller 304 as a software update,firmware update, or corrected autonomous machine-learning model. Forexample, and without limitation autonomous machine learning model mayutilize a neural net machine-learning process, wherein the updatedmachine-learning model may incorporate a gradient boostingmachine-learning process.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller 304 may include, beincluded in, and/or communicate with a mobile device such as a mobiletelephone or smartphone. Further, flight controller may communicate withone or more additional devices as described below in further detail viaa network interface device. The network interface device may be utilizedfor commutatively connecting a flight controller to one or more of avariety of networks, and one or more devices. Examples of a networkinterface device include, but are not limited to, a network interfacecard (e.g., a mobile network interface card, a LAN card), a modem, andany combination thereof. Examples of a network include, but are notlimited to, a wide area network (e.g., the Internet, an enterprisenetwork), a local area network (e.g., a network associated with anoffice, a building, a campus or other relatively small geographicspace), a telephone network, a data network associated with atelephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications provider dataand/or voice network), a direct connection between two computingdevices, and any combinations thereof. The network may include anynetwork topology and can may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode ofcommunication.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller 304may include, but is not limited to, for example, a cluster of flightcontrollers in a first location and a second flight controller orcluster of flight controllers in a second location. Flight controller304 may include one or more flight controllers dedicated to datastorage, security, distribution of traffic for load balancing, and thelike. Flight controller 304 may be configured to distribute one or morecomputing tasks as described below across a plurality of flightcontrollers, which may operate in parallel, in series, redundantly, orin any other manner used for distribution of tasks or memory betweencomputing devices. For example, and without limitation, flightcontroller 304 may implement a control algorithm to distribute and/orcommand the plurality of flight controllers. As used in this disclosurea “control algorithm” is a finite sequence of well-defined computerimplementable instructions that may determine the flight component ofthe plurality of flight components to be adjusted. For example, andwithout limitation, control algorithm may include one or more algorithmsthat reduce and/or prevent aviation asymmetry. As a further non-limitingexample, control algorithms may include one or more models generated asa function of a software including, but not limited to Simulink byMathWorks, Natick, Mass., USA. In an embodiment, and without limitation,control algorithm may be configured to generate an auto-code, wherein an“auto-code,” is used herein, is a code and/or algorithm that isgenerated as a function of the one or more models and/or software's. Inanother embodiment, control algorithm may be configured to produce asegmented control algorithm. As used in this disclosure a “segmentedcontrol algorithm” is control algorithm that has been separated and/orparsed into discrete sections. For example, and without limitation,segmented control algorithm may parse control algorithm into two or moresegments, wherein each segment of control algorithm may be performed byone or more flight controllers operating on distinct flight components.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3 , control algorithm maybe configured to determine a segmentation boundary as a function ofsegmented control algorithm. As used in this disclosure a “segmentationboundary” is a limit and/or delineation associated with the segments ofthe segmented control algorithm. For example, and without limitation,segmentation boundary may denote that a segment in the control algorithmhas a first starting section and/or a first ending section. As a furthernon-limiting example, segmentation boundary may include one or moreboundaries associated with an ability of flight component 108. In anembodiment, control algorithm may be configured to create an optimizedsignal communication as a function of segmentation boundary. Forexample, and without limitation, optimized signal communication mayinclude identifying the discrete timing required to transmit and/orreceive the one or more segmentation boundaries. In an embodiment, andwithout limitation, creating optimized signal communication furthercomprises separating a plurality of signal codes across the plurality offlight controllers. For example, and without limitation the plurality offlight controllers may include one or more formal networks, whereinformal networks transmit data along an authority chain and/or arelimited to task-related communications. As a further non-limitingexample, communication network may include informal networks, whereininformal networks transmit data in any direction. In an embodiment, andwithout limitation, the plurality of flight controllers may include achain path, wherein a “chain path,” as used herein, is a linearcommunication path comprising a hierarchy that data may flow through. Inan embodiment, and without limitation, the plurality of flightcontrollers may include an all-channel path, wherein an “all-channelpath,” as used herein, is a communication path that is not restricted toa particular direction. For example, and without limitation, data may betransmitted upward, downward, laterally, and the like thereof. In anembodiment, and without limitation, the plurality of flight controllersmay include one or more neural networks that assign a weighted value toa transmitted datum. For example, and without limitation, a weightedvalue may be assigned as a function of one or more signals denoting thata flight component is malfunctioning and/or in a failure state.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , the plurality of flight controllers mayinclude a master bus controller. As used in this disclosure a “masterbus controller” is one or more devices and/or components that areconnected to a bus to initiate a direct memory access transaction,wherein a bus is one or more terminals in a bus architecture. Master buscontroller may communicate using synchronous and/or asynchronous buscontrol protocols. In an embodiment, master bus controller may includeflight controller 304. In another embodiment, master bus controller mayinclude one or more universal asynchronous receiver-transmitters (UART).For example, and without limitation, master bus controller may includeone or more bus architectures that allow a bus to initiate a directmemory access transaction from one or more buses in the busarchitectures. As a further non-limiting example, master bus controllermay include one or more peripheral devices and/or components tocommunicate with another peripheral device and/or component and/or themaster bus controller. In an embodiment, master bus controller may beconfigured to perform bus arbitration. As used in this disclosure “busarbitration” is method and/or scheme to prevent multiple buses fromattempting to communicate with and/or connect to master bus controller.For example and without limitation, bus arbitration may include one ormore schemes such as a small computer interface system, wherein a smallcomputer interface system is a set of standards for physical connectingand transferring data between peripheral devices and master buscontroller by defining commands, protocols, electrical, optical, and/orlogical interfaces. In an embodiment, master bus controller may receiveintermediate representation 312 and/or output language from logiccomponent 320, wherein output language may include one or moreanalog-to-digital conversions, low bit rate transmissions, messageencryptions, digital signals, binary signals, logic signals, analogsignals, and the like thereof described above in detail.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , master bus controller may communicate with aslave bus. As used in this disclosure a “slave bus” is one or moreperipheral devices and/or components that initiate a bus transfer. Forexample, and without limitation, slave bus may receive one or morecontrols and/or asymmetric communications from master bus controller,wherein slave bus transfers data stored to master bus controller. In anembodiment, and without limitation, slave bus may include one or moreinternal buses, such as but not limited to a/an internal data bus,memory bus, system bus, front-side bus, and the like thereof. In anotherembodiment, and without limitation, slave bus may include one or moreexternal buses such as external flight controllers, external computers,remote devices, printers, aircraft computer systems, flight controlsystems, and the like thereof.

In an embodiment, and still referring to FIG. 3 , control algorithm mayoptimize signal communication as a function of determining one or morediscrete timings. For example, and without limitation master buscontroller may synchronize timing of the segmented control algorithm byinjecting high priority timing signals on a bus of the master buscontrol. As used in this disclosure a “high priority timing signal” isinformation denoting that the information is important. For example, andwithout limitation, high priority timing signal may denote that asection of control algorithm is of high priority and should be analyzedand/or transmitted prior to any other sections being analyzed and/ortransmitted. In an embodiment, high priority timing signal may includeone or more priority packets. As used in this disclosure a “prioritypacket” is a formatted unit of data that is communicated between theplurality of flight controllers. For example, and without limitation,priority packet may denote that a section of control algorithm should beused and/or is of greater priority than other sections.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller 304 may also beimplemented using a “shared nothing” architecture in which data iscached at the worker, in an embodiment, this may enable scalability ofaircraft and/or computing device. Flight controller 304 may include adistributer flight controller. As used in this disclosure a “distributerflight controller” is a component that adjusts and/or controls aplurality of flight components as a function of a plurality of flightcontrollers. For example, distributer flight controller may include aflight controller that communicates with a plurality of additionalflight controllers and/or clusters of flight controllers. In anembodiment, distributed flight control may include one or more neuralnetworks. For example, neural network also known as an artificial neuralnetwork, is a network of “nodes,” or data structures having one or moreinputs, one or more outputs, and a function determining outputs based oninputs. Such nodes may be organized in a network, such as withoutlimitation a convolutional neural network, including an input layer ofnodes, one or more intermediate layers, and an output layer of nodes.Connections between nodes may be created via the process of “training”the network, in which elements from a training dataset are applied tothe input nodes, a suitable training algorithm (such asLevenberg-Marquardt, conjugate gradient, simulated annealing, or otheralgorithms) is then used to adjust the connections and weights betweennodes in adjacent layers of the neural network to produce the desiredvalues at the output nodes. This process is sometimes referred to asdeep learning. Still referring to FIG. 3 , a node may include, withoutlimitation a plurality of inputs x_(i) that may receive numerical valuesfrom inputs to a neural network containing the node and/or from othernodes. Node may perform a weighted sum of inputs using weights w_(i)that are multiplied by respective inputs x_(i). Additionally oralternatively, a bias b may be added to the weighted sum of the inputssuch that an offset is added to each unit in the neural network layerthat is independent of the input to the layer. The weighted sum may thenbe input into a function φ, which may generate one or more outputs y.Weight w_(i) applied to an input x_(i) may indicate whether the input is“excitatory,” indicating that it has strong influence on the one or moreoutputs y, for instance by the corresponding weight having a largenumerical value, and/or a “inhibitory,” indicating it has a weak effectinfluence on the one more inputs y, for instance by the correspondingweight having a small numerical value. The values of weights w_(i) maybe determined by training a neural network using training data, whichmay be performed using any suitable process as described above. In anembodiment, and without limitation, a neural network may receivesemantic units as inputs and output vectors representing such semanticunits according to weights w_(i) that are derived using machine-learningprocesses as described in this disclosure.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller may include asub-controller 340. As used in this disclosure a “sub-controller” is acontroller and/or component that is part of a distributed controller asdescribed above; for instance, flight controller 304 may be and/orinclude a distributed flight controller made up of one or moresub-controllers. For example, and without limitation, sub-controller 340may include any controllers and/or components thereof that are similarto distributed flight controller and/or flight controller as describedabove. Sub-controller 340 may include any component of any flightcontroller as described above. Sub-controller 340 may be implemented inany manner suitable for implementation of a flight controller asdescribed above. As a further non-limiting example, sub-controller 340may include one or more processors, logic components and/or computingdevices capable of receiving, processing, and/or transmitting dataacross the distributed flight controller as described above. As afurther non-limiting example, sub-controller 340 may include acontroller that receives a signal from a first flight controller and/orfirst distributed flight controller component and transmits the signalto a plurality of additional sub-controllers and/or flight components.

Still referring to FIG. 3 , flight controller may include aco-controller 344. As used in this disclosure a “co-controller” is acontroller and/or component that joins flight controller 304 ascomponents and/or nodes of a distributer flight controller as describedabove. For example, and without limitation, co-controller 344 mayinclude one or more controllers and/or components that are similar toflight controller 304. As a further non-limiting example, co-controller344 may include any controller and/or component that joins flightcontroller 304 to distributer flight controller. As a furthernon-limiting example, co-controller 344 may include one or moreprocessors, logic components and/or computing devices capable ofreceiving, processing, and/or transmitting data to and/or from flightcontroller 304 to distributed flight control system. Co-controller 344may include any component of any flight controller as described above.Co-controller 344 may be implemented in any manner suitable forimplementation of a flight controller as described above.

In an embodiment, and with continued reference to FIG. 3 , flightcontroller 304 may be designed and/or configured to perform any method,method step, or sequence of method steps in any embodiment described inthis disclosure, in any order and with any degree of repetition. Forinstance, flight controller 304 may be configured to perform a singlestep or sequence repeatedly until a desired or commanded outcome isachieved; repetition of a step or a sequence of steps may be performediteratively and/or recursively using outputs of previous repetitions asinputs to subsequent repetitions, aggregating inputs and/or outputs ofrepetitions to produce an aggregate result, reduction or decrement ofone or more variables such as global variables, and/or division of alarger processing task into a set of iteratively addressed smallerprocessing tasks. Flight controller may perform any step or sequence ofsteps as described in this disclosure in parallel, such assimultaneously and/or substantially simultaneously performing a step twoor more times using two or more parallel threads, processor cores, orthe like; division of tasks between parallel threads and/or processesmay be performed according to any protocol suitable for division oftasks between iterations. Persons skilled in the art, upon reviewing theentirety of this disclosure, will be aware of various ways in whichsteps, sequences of steps, processing tasks, and/or data may besubdivided, shared, or otherwise dealt with using iteration, recursion,and/or parallel processing.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , an exemplary embodiment of a machine-learningmodule 400 that may perform one or more machine-learning processes asdescribed in this disclosure is illustrated. Machine-learning module mayperform determinations, classification, and/or analysis steps, methods,processes, or the like as described in this disclosure usingmachine-learning processes. A “machine-learning process,” as used inthis disclosure, is a process that automatedly uses training data 404 togenerate an algorithm that will be performed by a computingdevice/module to produce outputs 408 given data provided as inputs 412;this is in contrast to a non-machine-learning software program where thecommands to be executed are determined in advance by a user and writtenin a programming language.

Still referring to FIG. 4 , “training data,” as used herein, is datacontaining correlations that a machine-learning process may use to modelrelationships between two or more categories of data elements. Forinstance, and without limitation, training data 404 may include aplurality of data entries, each entry representing a set of dataelements that were recorded, received, and/or generated together; dataelements may be correlated by shared existence in a given data entry, byproximity in a given data entry, or the like. Multiple data entries intraining data 404 may evince one or more trends in correlations betweencategories of data elements; for instance, and without limitation, ahigher value of a first data element belonging to a first category ofdata element may tend to correlate to a higher value of a second dataelement belonging to a second category of data element, indicating apossible proportional or other mathematical relationship linking valuesbelonging to the two categories. Multiple categories of data elementsmay be related in training data 404 according to various correlations;correlations may indicate causative and/or predictive links betweencategories of data elements, which may be modeled as relationships suchas mathematical relationships by machine-learning processes as describedin further detail below. Training data 404 may be formatted and/ororganized by categories of data elements, for instance by associatingdata elements with one or more descriptors corresponding to categoriesof data elements. As a non-limiting example, training data 404 mayinclude data entered in standardized forms by persons or processes, suchthat entry of a given data element in a given field in a form may bemapped to one or more descriptors of categories. Elements in trainingdata 404 may be linked to descriptors of categories by tags, tokens, orother data elements; for instance, and without limitation, training data404 may be provided in fixed-length formats, formats linking positionsof data to categories such as comma-separated value (CSV) formats and/orself-describing formats such as extensible markup language (XML),JavaScript Object Notation (JSON), or the like, enabling processes ordevices to detect categories of data.

Alternatively or additionally, and continuing to refer to FIG. 4 ,training data 404 may include one or more elements that are notcategorized; that is, training data 404 may not be formatted or containdescriptors for some elements of data. Machine-learning algorithmsand/or other processes may sort training data 404 according to one ormore categorizations using, for instance, natural language processingalgorithms, tokenization, detection of correlated values in raw data andthe like; categories may be generated using correlation and/or otherprocessing algorithms. As a non-limiting example, in a corpus of text,phrases making up a number “n” of compound words, such as nouns modifiedby other nouns, may be identified according to a statisticallysignificant prevalence of n-grams containing such words in a particularorder; such an n-gram may be categorized as an element of language suchas a “word” to be tracked similarly to single words, generating a newcategory as a result of statistical analysis. Similarly, in a data entryincluding some textual data, a person's name may be identified byreference to a list, dictionary, or other compendium of terms,permitting ad-hoc categorization by machine-learning algorithms, and/orautomated association of data in the data entry with descriptors or intoa given format. The ability to categorize data entries automatedly mayenable the same training data 404 to be made applicable for two or moredistinct machine-learning algorithms as described in further detailbelow. Training data 404 used by machine-learning module 400 maycorrelate any input data as described in this disclosure to any outputdata as described in this disclosure. As a non-limiting illustrativeexample flight elements and/or pilot signals may be inputs, wherein anoutput may be an autonomous function.

Further referring to FIG. 4 , training data may be filtered, sorted,and/or selected using one or more supervised and/or unsupervisedmachine-learning processes and/or models as described in further detailbelow; such models may include without limitation a training dataclassifier 416. Training data classifier 416 may include a “classifier,”which as used in this disclosure is a machine-learning model as definedbelow, such as a mathematical model, neural net, or program generated bya machine learning algorithm known as a “classification algorithm,” asdescribed in further detail below, that sorts inputs into categories orbins of data, outputting the categories or bins of data and/or labelsassociated therewith. A classifier may be configured to output at leasta datum that labels or otherwise identifies a set of data that areclustered together, found to be close under a distance metric asdescribed below, or the like. Machine-learning module 400 may generate aclassifier using a classification algorithm, defined as a processeswhereby a computing device and/or any module and/or component operatingthereon derives a classifier from training data 404. Classification maybe performed using, without limitation, linear classifiers such aswithout limitation logistic regression and/or naive Bayes classifiers,nearest neighbor classifiers such as k-nearest neighbors classifiers,support vector machines, least squares support vector machines, fisher'slinear discriminant, quadratic classifiers, decision trees, boostedtrees, random forest classifiers, learning vector quantization, and/orneural network-based classifiers. As a non-limiting example, trainingdata classifier 416 may classify elements of training data tosub-categories of flight elements such as torques, forces, thrusts,directions, and the like thereof.

Still referring to FIG. 4 , machine-learning module 400 may beconfigured to perform a lazy-learning process 420 and/or protocol, whichmay alternatively be referred to as a “lazy loading” or“call-when-needed” process and/or protocol, may be a process wherebymachine learning is conducted upon receipt of an input to be convertedto an output, by combining the input and training set to derive thealgorithm to be used to produce the output on demand. For instance, aninitial set of simulations may be performed to cover an initialheuristic and/or “first guess” at an output and/or relationship. As anon-limiting example, an initial heuristic may include a ranking ofassociations between inputs and elements of training data 404. Heuristicmay include selecting some number of highest-ranking associations and/ortraining data 404 elements. Lazy learning may implement any suitablelazy learning algorithm, including without limitation a K-nearestneighbors algorithm, a lazy naïve Bayes algorithm, or the like; personsskilled in the art, upon reviewing the entirety of this disclosure, willbe aware of various lazy-learning algorithms that may be applied togenerate outputs as described in this disclosure, including withoutlimitation lazy learning applications of machine-learning algorithms asdescribed in further detail below.

Alternatively or additionally, and with continued reference to FIG. 4 ,machine-learning processes as described in this disclosure may be usedto generate machine-learning models 424. A “machine-learning model,” asused in this disclosure, is a mathematical and/or algorithmicrepresentation of a relationship between inputs and outputs, asgenerated using any machine-learning process including withoutlimitation any process as described above, and stored in memory; aninput is submitted to a machine-learning model 424 once created, whichgenerates an output based on the relationship that was derived. Forinstance, and without limitation, a linear regression model, generatedusing a linear regression algorithm, may compute a linear combination ofinput data using coefficients derived during machine-learning processesto calculate an output datum. As a further non-limiting example, amachine-learning model 424 may be generated by creating an artificialneural network, such as a convolutional neural network comprising aninput layer of nodes, one or more intermediate layers, and an outputlayer of nodes. Connections between nodes may be created via the processof “training” the network, in which elements from a training data 404set are applied to the input nodes, a suitable training algorithm (suchas Levenberg-Marquardt, conjugate gradient, simulated annealing, orother algorithms) is then used to adjust the connections and weightsbetween nodes in adjacent layers of the neural network to produce thedesired values at the output nodes. This process is sometimes referredto as deep learning.

Still referring to FIG. 4 , machine-learning algorithms may include atleast a supervised machine-learning process 428. At least a supervisedmachine-learning process 428, as defined herein, include algorithms thatreceive a training set relating a number of inputs to a number ofoutputs, and seek to find one or more mathematical relations relatinginputs to outputs, where each of the one or more mathematical relationsis optimal according to some criterion specified to the algorithm usingsome scoring function. For instance, a supervised learning algorithm mayinclude flight elements and/or pilot signals as described above asinputs, autonomous functions as outputs, and a scoring functionrepresenting a desired form of relationship to be detected betweeninputs and outputs; scoring function may, for instance, seek to maximizethe probability that a given input and/or combination of elements inputsis associated with a given output to minimize the probability that agiven input is not associated with a given output. Scoring function maybe expressed as a risk function representing an “expected loss” of analgorithm relating inputs to outputs, where loss is computed as an errorfunction representing a degree to which a prediction generated by therelation is incorrect when compared to a given input-output pairprovided in training data 404. Persons skilled in the art, uponreviewing the entirety of this disclosure, will be aware of variouspossible variations of at least a supervised machine-learning process428 that may be used to determine relation between inputs and outputs.Supervised machine-learning processes may include classificationalgorithms as defined above.

Further referring to FIG. 4 , machine learning processes may include atleast an unsupervised machine-learning processes 432. An unsupervisedmachine-learning process, as used herein, is a process that derivesinferences in datasets without regard to labels; as a result, anunsupervised machine-learning process may be free to discover anystructure, relationship, and/or correlation provided in the data.Unsupervised processes may not require a response variable; unsupervisedprocesses may be used to find interesting patterns and/or inferencesbetween variables, to determine a degree of correlation between two ormore variables, or the like.

Still referring to FIG. 4 , machine-learning module 400 may be designedand configured to create a machine-learning model 424 using techniquesfor development of linear regression models. Linear regression modelsmay include ordinary least squares regression, which aims to minimizethe square of the difference between predicted outcomes and actualoutcomes according to an appropriate norm for measuring such adifference (e.g. a vector-space distance norm); coefficients of theresulting linear equation may be modified to improve minimization.Linear regression models may include ridge regression methods, where thefunction to be minimized includes the least-squares function plus termmultiplying the square of each coefficient by a scalar amount topenalize large coefficients. Linear regression models may include leastabsolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) models, in which ridgeregression is combined with multiplying the least-squares term by afactor of 1 divided by double the number of samples. Linear regressionmodels may include a multi-task lasso model wherein the norm applied inthe least-squares term of the lasso model is the Frobenius normamounting to the square root of the sum of squares of all terms. Linearregression models may include the elastic net model, a multi-taskelastic net model, a least angle regression model, a LARS lasso model,an orthogonal matching pursuit model, a Bayesian regression model, alogistic regression model, a stochastic gradient descent model, aperceptron model, a passive aggressive algorithm, a robustnessregression model, a Huber regression model, or any other suitable modelthat may occur to persons skilled in the art upon reviewing the entiretyof this disclosure. Linear regression models may be generalized in anembodiment to polynomial regression models, whereby a polynomialequation (e.g. a quadratic, cubic or higher-order equation) providing abest predicted output/actual output fit is sought; similar methods tothose described above may be applied to minimize error functions, aswill be apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reviewing theentirety of this disclosure.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 4 , machine-learning algorithms may include,without limitation, linear discriminant analysis. Machine-learningalgorithm may include quadratic discriminate analysis. Machine-learningalgorithms may include kernel ridge regression. Machine-learningalgorithms may include support vector machines, including withoutlimitation support vector classification-based regression processes.Machine-learning algorithms may include stochastic gradient descentalgorithms, including classification and regression algorithms based onstochastic gradient descent. Machine-learning algorithms may includenearest neighbors algorithms. Machine-learning algorithms may includeGaussian processes such as Gaussian Process Regression. Machine-learningalgorithms may include cross-decomposition algorithms, including partialleast squares and/or canonical correlation analysis. Machine-learningalgorithms may include naïve Bayes methods. Machine-learning algorithmsmay include algorithms based on decision trees, such as decision treeclassification or regression algorithms. Machine-learning algorithms mayinclude ensemble methods such as bagging meta-estimator, forest ofrandomized tress, AdaBoost, gradient tree boosting, and/or votingclassifier methods. Machine-learning algorithms may include neural netalgorithms, including convolutional neural net processes.

Now referring to FIG. 5 , an exemplary embodiment of a method 500 forredistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft is illustrated.Electric aircraft may be any of the aircrafts as disclosed herein anddescribed above with reference to at least FIG. 2 . In an embodiment,electric aircraft may include an electric vertical takeoff and landing(eVTOL) aircraft.

Still referring to FIG. 5 , at step 505, a controller communicativelyconnected to a ring bus is provided. Ring bus includes a plurality ofbus sections. Plurality of bus sections includes a first bus section anda second bus section. First bus section is electrically connected to afirst energy source. Second bus section is electrically connected to asecond energy source. Second bus section is selectively electricallyconnected to first bus section. First energy source and second energysource are configured to provide electrical energy to an electrical loadof an electric aircraft. Controller may include any of the controllers(and/or computing devices) as disclosed herein and described above withreference to at least FIG. 1A, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 . Ring bus may includeany of the ring buses as disclosed herein and described above withreference to at least FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. Plurality of bus sections,first bus section and second bus section may include any of the bussections as disclosed herein and described above with reference to atleast FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. First energy source and second energy sourcemay include any of the energy sources as disclosed herein and describedabove with reference to at least FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. Electricalaircraft may include any of the electric aircraft as disclosed hereinand described above with reference to at least FIG. 2 .

Still referring to FIG. 5 , at step 510, a fault datum indicative of afault associated with one of first energy source and second energysource is received by controller. Fault datum may include any of thefault datums as disclosed herein and described above with reference toat least FIG. 1A. Fault may include any of the faults as disclosedherein and described above with reference to at least FIG. 1A. Receivingmay be by any reception means as disclosed in the entirety of thepresent disclosure.

Continuing to refer to FIG. 5 , at step 515, at least a switch isactuated, as a function of fault datum, by controller, to electricallyconnect first bus section and second bus section so as to form anelectrical merger of first bus section and second bus section. Switchmay include any of the switches as disclosed herein and described abovewith reference to at least FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B. Actuating may be by anyactuation means as disclosed in the entirety of the present disclosure.

With continued reference to FIG. 5 , at step 520, electrical load isredistributed, by controller, to compensate for the fault associatedwith one of first energy source and second energy source. Electricalload may include any of the electricals loads as disclosed herein anddescribed above with reference to at least FIG. 1A. Redistributing maybe by any redistribution means as disclosed in the entirety of thepresent disclosure.

It is to be noted that any one or more of the aspects and embodimentsdescribed herein may be conveniently implemented using one or moremachines (e.g., one or more computing devices that are utilized as auser computing device for an electronic document, one or more serverdevices, such as a document server, etc.) programmed according to theteachings of the present specification, as will be apparent to those ofordinary skill in the computer art. Appropriate software coding canreadily be prepared by skilled programmers based on the teachings of thepresent disclosure, as will be apparent to those of ordinary skill inthe software art. Aspects and implementations discussed above employingsoftware and/or software modules may also include appropriate hardwarefor assisting in the implementation of the machine executableinstructions of the software and/or software module.

Such software may be a computer program product that employs amachine-readable storage medium. A machine-readable storage medium maybe any medium that is capable of storing and/or encoding a sequence ofinstructions for execution by a machine (e.g., a computing device) andthat causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologies and/orembodiments described herein. Examples of a machine-readable storagemedium include, but are not limited to, a magnetic disk, an optical disc(e.g., CD, CD-R, DVD, DVD-R, etc.), a magneto-optical disk, a read-onlymemory “ROM” device, a random-access memory “RAM” device, a magneticcard, an optical card, a solid-state memory device, an EPROM, an EEPROM,and any combinations thereof. A machine-readable medium, as used herein,is intended to include a single medium as well as a collection ofphysically separate media, such as, for example, a collection of compactdiscs or one or more hard disk drives in combination with a computermemory. As used herein, a machine-readable storage medium does notinclude transitory forms of signal transmission.

Such software may also include information (e.g., data) carried as adata signal on a data carrier, such as a carrier wave. For example,machine-executable information may be included as a data-carrying signalembodied in a data carrier in which the signal encodes a sequence ofinstruction, or portion thereof, for execution by a machine (e.g., acomputing device) and any related information (e.g., data structures anddata) that causes the machine to perform any one of the methodologiesand/or embodiments described herein.

Examples of a computing device include, but are not limited to, anelectronic book reading device, a computer workstation, a terminalcomputer, a server computer, a handheld device (e.g., a tablet computer,a smartphone, etc.), a web appliance, a network router, a networkswitch, a network bridge, any machine capable of executing a sequence ofinstructions that specify an action to be taken by that machine, and anycombinations thereof. In one example, a computing device may includeand/or be included in a kiosk.

FIG. 6 shows a diagrammatic representation of one embodiment of acomputing device in the exemplary form of a computer system 600 withinwhich a set of instructions for causing a control system to perform anyone or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the presentdisclosure may be executed. It is also contemplated that multiplecomputing devices may be utilized to implement a specially configuredset of instructions for causing one or more of the devices to performany one or more of the aspects and/or methodologies of the presentdisclosure. Computer system 600 includes a processor 604 and a memory608 that communicate with each other, and with other components, via abus 612. Bus 612 may include any of several types of bus structuresincluding, but not limited to, a memory bus, a memory controller, aperipheral bus, a local bus, and any combinations thereof, using any ofa variety of bus architectures.

Processor 604 may include any suitable processor, such as withoutlimitation a processor incorporating logical circuitry for performingarithmetic and logical operations, such as an arithmetic and logic unit(ALU), which may be regulated with a state machine and directed byoperational inputs from memory and/or sensors; processor 604 may beorganized according to Von Neumann and/or Harvard architecture as anon-limiting example. Processor 604 may include, incorporate, and/or beincorporated in, without limitation, a microcontroller, microprocessor,digital signal processor (DSP), Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA),Complex Programmable Logic Device (CPLD), Graphical Processing Unit(GPU), general purpose GPU, Tensor Processing Unit (TPU), analog ormixed signal processor, Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a floating-pointunit (FPU), and/or system on a chip (SoC).

Memory 608 may include various components (e.g., machine-readable media)including, but not limited to, a random-access memory component, a readonly component, and any combinations thereof. In one example, a basicinput/output system 616 (BIOS), including basic routines that help totransfer information between elements within computer system 600, suchas during start-up, may be stored in memory 608. Memory 608 may alsoinclude (e.g., stored on one or more machine-readable media)instructions (e.g., software) 620 embodying any one or more of theaspects and/or methodologies of the present disclosure. In anotherexample, memory 608 may further include any number of program modulesincluding, but not limited to, an operating system, one or moreapplication programs, other program modules, program data, and anycombinations thereof.

Computer system 600 may also include a storage device 624. Examples of astorage device (e.g., storage device 624) include, but are not limitedto, a hard disk drive, a magnetic disk drive, an optical disc drive incombination with an optical medium, a solid-state memory device, and anycombinations thereof. Storage device 624 may be connected to bus 612 byan appropriate interface (not shown). Example interfaces include, butare not limited to, SCSI, advanced technology attachment (ATA), serialATA, universal serial bus (USB), IEEE 1394 (FIREWIRE), and anycombinations thereof. In one example, storage device 624 (or one or morecomponents thereof) may be removably interfaced with computer system 600(e.g., via an external port connector (not shown)). Particularly,storage device 624 and an associated machine-readable medium 628 mayprovide nonvolatile and/or volatile storage of machine-readableinstructions, data structures, program modules, and/or other data forcomputer system 600. In one example, software 620 may reside, completelyor partially, within machine-readable medium 628. In another example,software 620 may reside, completely or partially, within processor 604.

Computer system 600 may also include an input device 632. In oneexample, a user of computer system 600 may enter commands and/or otherinformation into computer system 600 via input device 632. Examples ofan input device 632 include, but are not limited to, an alpha-numericinput device (e.g., a keyboard), a pointing device, a joystick, agamepad, an audio input device (e.g., a microphone, a voice responsesystem, etc.), a cursor control device (e.g., a mouse), a touchpad, anoptical scanner, a video capture device (e.g., a still camera, a videocamera), a touchscreen, and any combinations thereof. Input device 632may be interfaced to bus 612 via any of a variety of interfaces (notshown) including, but not limited to, a serial interface, a parallelinterface, a game port, a USB interface, a FIREWIRE interface, a directinterface to bus 612, and any combinations thereof. Input device 632 mayinclude a touch screen interface that may be a part of or separate fromdisplay 636, discussed further below. Input device 632 may be utilizedas a user selection device for selecting one or more graphicalrepresentations in a graphical interface as described above.

A user may also input commands and/or other information to computersystem 600 via storage device 624 (e.g., a removable disk drive, a flashdrive, etc.) and/or network interface device 640. A network interfacedevice, such as network interface device 640, may be utilized forconnecting computer system 600 to one or more of a variety of networks,such as network 644, and one or more remote devices 648 connectedthereto. Examples of a network interface device include, but are notlimited to, a network interface card (e.g., a mobile network interfacecard, a LAN card), a modem, and any combination thereof. Examples of anetwork include, but are not limited to, a wide area network (e.g., theInternet, an enterprise network), a local area network (e.g., a networkassociated with an office, a building, a campus or other relativelysmall geographic space), a telephone network, a data network associatedwith a telephone/voice provider (e.g., a mobile communications providerdata and/or voice network), a direct connection between two computingdevices, and any combinations thereof. A network, such as network 644,may employ a wired and/or a wireless mode of communication. In general,any network topology may be used. Information (e.g., data, software 620,etc.) may be communicated to and/or from computer system 600 via networkinterface device 640.

Computer system 600 may further include a video display adapter 652 forcommunicating a displayable image to a display device, such as displaydevice 636. Examples of a display device include, but are not limitedto, a liquid crystal display (LCD), a cathode ray tube (CRT), a plasmadisplay, a light emitting diode (LED) display, and any combinationsthereof. Display adapter 652 and display device 636 may be utilized incombination with processor 604 to provide graphical representations ofaspects of the present disclosure. In addition to a display device,computer system 600 may include one or more other peripheral outputdevices including, but not limited to, an audio speaker, a printer, andany combinations thereof. Such peripheral output devices may beconnected to bus 612 via a peripheral interface 656. Examples of aperipheral interface include, but are not limited to, a serial port, aUSB connection, a FIREWIRE connection, a parallel connection, and anycombinations thereof.

The foregoing has been a detailed description of illustrativeembodiments of the invention. Various modifications and additions can bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.Features of each of the various embodiments described above may becombined with features of other described embodiments as appropriate inorder to provide a multiplicity of feature combinations in associatednew embodiments. Furthermore, while the foregoing describes a number ofseparate embodiments, what has been described herein is merelyillustrative of the application of the principles of the presentinvention. Additionally, although particular methods herein may beillustrated and/or described as being performed in a specific order, theordering is highly variable within ordinary skill to achieve methods andsystems according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, thisdescription is meant to be taken only by way of example, and not tootherwise limit the scope of this invention.

Exemplary embodiments have been disclosed above and illustrated in theaccompanying drawings. It will be understood by those skilled in the artthat various changes, omissions and additions may be made to that whichis specifically disclosed herein without departing from the spirit andscope of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for redistributing electrical load in anelectric aircraft, the system comprising: a ring bus comprising aplurality of bus sections, wherein the plurality of bus sectionscomprises: a first bus section, wherein the first bus section iselectrically connected to a first energy source; and a second bussection, wherein: the second bus section is electrically connected to asecond energy source; the second bus section is selectively electricallyconnected to the first bus section; and the first energy source and thesecond energy source are configured to provide electrical energy to anelectrical load of an electric aircraft; and a controllercommunicatively connected to the ring bus and at least a flightcomponent, wherein the controller comprises a flight controllercommunicatively connected to the electric aircraft and is configured to:receive a fault datum indicative of a fault associated with one of thefirst energy source and the second energy source, wherein at least asensor is configured to detect the fault datum and the fault datumincludes a temperature detection of at least a battery of the firstenergy source and the second energy source; receive a status datumassociated with at least a flight component of the electric aircraft,wherein the status datum comprises a torque of the at least a flightcomponent; actuate, as a function of the fault datum and the statusdatum, at least a switch comprising at least a cross-tie switch toelectrically connect the first bus section and the second bus section soas to form an electrical merger of the first bus section and the secondbus section; and electrically isolate one of the first energy source andthe second energy source from the ring bus as a function of the faultdatum; redistribute the electrical load as a function of the fault datumand the status datum.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of thefirst energy source and the second energy source comprises a batterypack.
 3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the first energy sourceand the second energy source comprises at least a battery.
 4. The systemof claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to actuate theat least a switch by transmitting an electrical signal to the at least aswitch.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least a sensor iscommunicatively connected to the controller.
 6. The system of claim 1,wherein the at least a sensor comprises a battery sensor.
 7. A methodfor redistributing electrical load in an electric aircraft, the methodcomprising: providing a controller communicatively connected to a ringbus, wherein the ring bus comprises a plurality of bus sections, whereinthe plurality of bus sections comprises: a first bus section, whereinthe first bus section is electrically connected to a first energysource; and a second bus section, wherein the second bus section iselectrically connected to a second energy source, wherein the second bussection is selectively electrically connected to the first bus section,and wherein the first energy source and the second energy source areconfigured to provide electrical energy to an electrical load of anelectric aircraft; receiving, by the controller comprising a flightcontroller communicatively connected to the electric aircraft, a faultdatum indicative of a fault associated with one of the first energysource and the second energy source, wherein at least a sensor isconfigured to detect the fault datum and wherein the fault datumincludes a temperature detection of at least a battery of the firstenergy source and the second energy source; receiving, by thecontroller, a status datum associated with at least a flight componentof the electric aircraft, wherein the status datum comprises a torque ofthe at least a flight component; actuating, by the controller, as afunction of the fault datum and the status datum, at least a switchcomprising at least a cross-tie switch to electrically connect the firstbus section and the second bus section so as to form an electricalmerger of the first bus section and the second bus section; electricallyisolating, by the controller, one of the first energy source and thesecond energy source as a function of the fault datum; andredistributing, by the controller, the electrical load as a function ofthe fault datum and the status datum.
 8. The method of claim 7, whereineach of the first energy source and the second energy source comprises abattery pack.
 9. The method of claim 7, wherein each of the first energysource and the second energy source comprises at least a battery. 10.The method of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured toactuate the at least a switch by transmitting an electrical signal tothe at least a switch.
 11. The method of claim 7, wherein the at least asensor is communicatively connected to the controller.
 12. The method ofclaim 7, wherein the at least a sensor comprises a battery sensor. 13.The system of claim 1, further comprising a fuse connecting the firstenergy source and a first flight component of the at least a flightcomponent.
 14. The method of claim 7, further comprising connecting, bya fuse, the first energy source and a first flight component of the atleast a flight component.
 15. The system of claim 1, further comprisinga fuse connecting the second energy source and a second flight componentof the at least a flight component.
 16. The method of claim 7, furthercomprising connecting, by a fuse, the second energy source and a secondflight component of the at least a flight component.